pesticide safety

Meet Srikanth Kodati, Extension Educator

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Srikanth KodatiSrikanth Kodati recently joined us as an Assistant Extension Educator for pesticide safety and crop protection. He received his bachelor’s degree from Acharya

group of people in an agricultural crop field
Srikanth Kodati, far right, at an Extension Field Day in June 2023. Photo: Shuresh Ghimire

N.G Ranga Agricultural University in Hyderabad, India, and his Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he studied the diversity and management of root rot diseases of soybean. Prior to coming to the United States, he worked as a product development officer for a chemical company where he worked extensively with farmers, and conducted training programs on pesticide safety and pest management.

At UConn, Kodati will develop pesticide safety education programs for the growers of the Northeastern United States, as part of his Extension program. He will also develop applied research and Extension projects on integrated pest management.

 

Pesticide Safety Educator Receives Award

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Candace and teammates receive their pesticide safety award at the impact collaborative
Candace Bartholomew (far left) and team members receive their award at the eXtension Impact Collaborative.

Indianapolis, IN. A NPSEC team comprised of staff and PSEP coordinators that are members of the Respirator Collaboration Team participated in eXtension’s Impact Collaborative Summit in Indianapolis from October 16th – 18th. The purpose of the Summit was for institutional and national Extension teams to bring projects and programs from various topic areas to find new and innovative ways to move their projects and programs forward with the help of the Impact Collaborative Innovation process, Key Informants, and partner/supporting organizations. 32 teams representing 40 institutions attended.

Working from where they left off at the 2018 National Pesticide Applicator Certification and Safety Education Workshop in San Antonio this past August, the NPSEC Team focused on finding innovative ways to get Collaboration Teams off the ground. The three-day event culminated in a PitchFest, where the team presented their project idea to eXtension and Cooperative Extension leaders, along with external partner and supporting organizations.

As a result of the PitchFest, the NPSEC team won an award in the Most Fundable Project or Program category that has earned the team recognition and a strategic partnership with the eXtension Partner Development Team. The goal is to raise $20,000 for each of NPSEC’s five identified collaboration teams to develop educational materials which have been identified as urgently needed for Pesticide Safety Education Programs in all the states and territories.

The NPSEC team was comprised of the following individuals:

Candace Bartholomew, University of Connecticut
Mike Wierda, Utah State University
Kerry Richards, University of Delaware
Courtney Weatherbee, Michigan State University
Dean Herzfeld, University of Minnesota
Wayne Buhler, North Carolina State University

Pesticide Safety Team Wins Extension Award

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Indianapolis, IN. A NPSEC (National Pesticide Safety Education Center) team comprised of staff and Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) coordinators that are members of the Respirator Collaboration Team participated in eXtension’s Impact Collaborative Summit in Indianapolis from October 16th – 18th. The purpose of the Summit was for institutional and national Extension teams to bring projects and programs from various topic areas to find new and innovative ways to move their projects and programs forward with the help of the Impact Collaborative Innovation process, Key Informants, and partner/supporting organizations. 32 teams representing 40 institutions attended. 

Working from where they left off at the 2018 National Pesticide Applicator Certification and Safety Education Workshop in San Antonio this past August, the NPSEC Team focused on finding innovative ways to get Collaboration Teams off the ground. The three-day event culminated in a PitchFest, where the team presented their project idea to eXtension and Cooperative Extension leaders, along with external partner and supporting organizations.

As a result of the PitchFest, the NPSEC team won an award in the Most Fundable Project or Program category that has earned the team recognition and a strategic partnership with the eXtension Partner Development Team. The goal is to raise $20,000 for each of NPSEC’s five identified collaboration teams.  

The NPSEC team was comprised of the following individuals:

Candace Bartholomew, University of Connecticut
Mike Wierda, Utah State University
Kerry Richards, University of Delaware
Courtney Weatherbee, Michigan State University
Dean Herzfeld, University of Minnesota
Wayne Buhler, North Carolina State University

Ornamentals and Turf Short Course

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turfThis Short Course is an in-depth review of the information necessary for studying and fulfilling the requirements of the Ornamental and Turf/Golf Course Superintendents State of Connecticut Supervisory Pesticide Applicator Certification exam.  A student attending lectures and studying materials independently should be able to successfully pass the examination, both written and oral. Students are expected to attend all classes and study materials independently.  Plan to spend a minimum of 10 hours per week studying outside of class.

Class topics are:  Pesticide Laws and Regulations, Pesticide Safety, Botany and Ornamental Identification, Plant Pathology and Ornamental Plant Diseases, Entomology and Insect Pests of Woody Ornamentals, Area and Dosage Calculations, Turf Management and Weed Management.  Each class begins with a basic overview of the science then takes an in-depth look at specific pests, their biology and control.

Classes run for 9 weeks meeting one day a week for 3 hours. Classes begin in mid October and are held in Wallingford at the CTPA office from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.   New classes will begin in January 2019, and run from 1:00 p.m. -4:00 p.m. Tuesdays in Farmington at the Exchange, 270 Farmington Avenue (across from the UConn Health Center and Dempsey Hospital), we are located in Building 4, Suite 262.  On the last day of classes, the DEEP administers the state certification exam.  The State certification exam costs $200, checks made out to CT DEEP.

The cost for the course is based on the cost of the books we provide to you and costs for instructors, is $385.00.  This does not include the required Pesticide Applicator Training Manual, (aka “The Core Manual”) which costs $35.00 or the recommended Ornamental and Turf Category 3 manual, $36.00.

To be placed on the mailing list for class announcements, or for more information please call (860) 570-9010 and ask to be placed on the Ornamental and Turf Short Course mailing list, or email: Diane.Labonia@UConn.edu

If there is more than one inch of snow at the class location, classes are cancelled and made up later.

Solid Ground Farmer Trainings Continue

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modeling pesticide safety outfit solid ground farmer training models pesticide safety outfit

UConn Extension’s Solid Ground Training class for beginner farmers on the “Safe and Effective Use of Pesticides For Organic and Non-Organic Producers”, held in Bethel on April 10 and taught by Mary Concklin. A part of the class was devoted to learning about personal protective equipment (PPE) with Chelsey Hahn modeling several different PPE items.