COVERING ALL BASES: DETERMINING THE IMPACT OF MULTI-STATE GREEN INDUSTRY PROGRAMS
Extension Education
Timothy Daly
County Extension Agent
University of Georgia
McDonough
Abstract
Green industry professionals face challenges obtaining the necessary training to learn new methods and technologies and getting the required credits to maintain their pesticide licenses and arborist certification. As a response to this need, a program was developed called the Southeastern Green Industry Update that has been held via Zoom Conferencing and partnered with agents and specialists in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida to offer recertification programs to audiences in all four states providing the necessary credits for their license in each state as well as ISA certified Arborist Continuing Education Units. The agendas consisted of multiple speakers who gave presentations on diverse topics. Since Fall 2020, ten programs have been held with 550 participants. In the post-program survey on Qualtrics, 98% responded that the pest management techniques and strategies presented in the program would help them use pesticides more safely and efficiently, and 80% said they would change how they handle pesticides and control turf pests in the landscape. Based on what they have learned in the program, 87% said they have an improved understanding of how to practice integrated pest management techniques in their work performance. Several commented, "I understand better the importance of reading the label of pesticides and the proper way to handle them," and "Today's program will help me make safer and more effective pesticide recommendations."
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted only for display at AM/PIC. Poster is not to be judged, but the abstract will be published in the proceedings.
Click to view Poster
Authors: Timothy Daly
-
Daly, T. County Extension Agent, University of Georgia Extension, Georgia, 30252