Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Needed

Posted on August 7, 2014 by southernipmcenter

National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)  has another opening for a sustainable agriculture specialist, this one in our Davis, California, office.  If you are interested in promoting sustainable agriculture practices and working with family farmers, small producers and limited-resource farmers, this is a wonderful opportunity.  You will work directly with farmers and ranchers on crop and livestock production, soil health, water quality, organic certification, and other issues.

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New Website on Soil Fumigants

Posted on August 7, 2014 by southernipmcenter

As part of the EPA’s effort to build a more user-friendly website, we have compiled all of our information on soil fumigants into a microsite so that visitors can find the information they need more quickly and easily. The Soil Fumigant Toolbox contains material on

  • training,
  • fumigant management plans,
  • buffer zones and
  • other safety measures for the protection of agricultural workers and bystanders.

You will find background information on soil fumigants and links to fact sheets and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Research Foundation’s Soil Fumigation Manual, a national pesticide applicator study guide.

This toolbox will be useful to fumigant handlers and certified applicators, state and tribal agencies, and communities that may be affected by the fumigation of soil. It can be accessed at http://www2.epa.gov/soil-fumigants.

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EPA-Hosted Webinar on “School Community Mosquito IPM”

Posted on August 7, 2014 by southernipmcenter

Mike Merchant, Texas A&M Ag Life Extension Service, will open with Mosquitoes: disease vectors of concern, their biology, ID, species comparisons, stages of development and disease. Mr. Joseph Conlon, American Mosquito Control Association, will follow with School Mosquito Integrated Pest Management, Integrating Mosquito Management into your School IPM plan, and Pesticides for mosquito management: why or why not – a decision making rationale. He will also discuss local health department mosquito monitoring and surveillance – the first step in IPM.

Dr. Marcia Anderson, EPA Center of Expertise for School IPM, will continue by identifying preferred mosquito breeding and feeding habits. She will discuss habitat modification another component of IPM, source reduction, and sanitation and maintenance to prevent mosquito borne diseases. Common biological controls will also be introduced, especially for school rain gardens, cisterns and other water collection areas. Dr. Merchant will discuss additional mosquito IPM controls: including mechanical devices, larvicides, IGR’s, and community pesticide spraying. Comments about additional national research, resources, and a Q&A session will conclude the webinar. Continue reading →

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Insects wreak havoc in Georgia and Florida

Posted on August 7, 2014 by southernipmcenter

From Southeast Farm Press

The Dog Days of Summer often bring the Pest Days of Plenty to Southern farms, and this year is no different. As insect pressure intensifies across the region, take a look at what they’re dealing with in Florida’s Panhandle: a standing occupation of armyworms, and Georgia peanut farms infested with spider mites. And what is a Redneck Worm?

“So far it looks like pyrethroids are giving good control of fall and beet armyworms, as long as they are less than an inch long. Some of the larger seem to be able to escape control, however. Insect growth regulators such as Dimilin have also been showing good results as long as they are applied while the caterpillars are small,” says Josh Thompson, area University of Florida Extension agent located in Jackson County.

Go to the website.

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