Continuing Education Courses
State: Oklahoma

This online course covers the management of spray drift to minimize problems. Spray Drift Management (SDM) has been a critical element for Western agriculture for decades. Keeping crop protection chemicals on the crop for which they are intended has been a cornerstone of Western farming not only to protect neighboring crops, but to avoid wasting money by allowing products to drift off the intended target. Spray drift management has taken on greater significance as cities encroach upon rural areas. Every year, increasingly more houses and other types of developments are springing up in prime growing areas, oftentimes alongside fields, orchards or vineyards. This leads to increased concerns about the use of agricultural chemicals and the ways they are applied. This course will review many aspects of spray drift – from practical, hands-on ways to minimize drift, to the regulatory issues surrounding it.

When people hear the words, fungus or fungi, they tend to think mushrooms or, perhaps, molds, or yeast. While mushrooms, molds, and yeast do fall in the fungi family, the term actually refers to a much broader spectrum of organisms.

A fungus is a member of the Fungi Kingdom, a group of eukaryotic organisms (organisms whose cell nucleus is enclosed within membranes). Biologists have identified more than 100,000 different species of fungi. More than 1.5 million species are estimated to now exist on planet Earth.

Fungi are the number one cause of crop loss worldwide. Management and control of fungi is vital to the agriculture industry as well as to the grower’s harvest yield and marketability of the crop.

This course discusses types of fungi and appropriate biological controls.

DuPont Crop Protection is pleased to sponsor The ABCs of MRLs CEU course. American agriculture exports 20 to 30 percent of its production annually. With many crops, like the specialty crops grown in California, the percentage of exports can be much higher. Like almonds, for example - more than 70 percent of this important California crop is exported annually. Although the pesticide registration process in the U.S. establishes acceptable pesticide residue levels for products used in the U.S., many foreign governments are increasing oversight and testing of imported food items for possible pesticide residues. When recommending and applying pest management products for crops, licensed Pest Control Advisers (PCAs), Certified Crop Advisers, consultants, applicators and farmers in the U.S. must be sure products applied are in compliance with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) established by the governments of foreign customers. Failure to meet MRLs could be the loss of shipments and customers at considerable expense.

Biopesticides are increasingly being recommended as components of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs in the production of non-organic high-value specialty crops like fruit, nut, vegetable, vine, ornamental and turf. There are about 430 registered biopesticide active ingredients used in a wide array of agricultural pest management products. Biopesticides are derived from natural materials such as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. Biopesticides are considered an effective pest control option for organic crop production. However, they increasingly are being recommended and used as components of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs in the production of non-organic high-value specialty crops such as fruit, nut, vegetable, vine, ornamental, and turf. This online CE course covers the principles for using the 430+ registered biopesticide active ingredients used in a wide array of agricultural pest management products. It is sponsored by Marrone Bio Innovations and includes a Safety Review at the conclusion of the course material.