Conferences
Pesticide Recertification Video Series
Stacey Huffman, Bruce Loyd, Stephen Starcher, and Josh Peplowski
Summary
West Virginia pesticide applicators holding private agricultural pest control licenses are mandated by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture to attend approved recertification workshops or training sessions. West Virginia University Extension Service, in efforts to meet the certification requirements, has developed a pesticide educational video series.
With limited state wide extension specialist positions and availability as well as limited personnel and expertise at the county level to provide this type of technical education, there is a great need for a communication strategy that would allow our clientele to have access to relevant information on appropriate pesticide use and safety, proper sprayer calibration, plant and livestock pest identification and management, vegetation control strategies, environmental quality considerations, etc. Extension agents and specialists collaborate to create and produce new videos each year on relevant and timely information for our producers.
The program has proven to be successful in increasing knowledge and skills among participants. Evaluations over the past three years have shown that the program has reached over 500 participants per year and a pre-test/post-test improvement average score of 31 percent. Participant statements on evaluations included: “This is the best program I have been to for a while,” “Excellent information and easy to follow,” and “Very good and relevant information.”
Because of the success of this program, WVU Extension Agents have begun plans to utilize video as an additional way to present pertinent information to our constituents, such as livestock herd management topics and various horticulture issues.
Details
| Conference | 2017 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference |
| Presentation Type | 30-Minute Concurrent |