This training series provides an introduction to the knowledge, skills, and abilities to plan, write, and certify Integrated Pest Management plans (CPS595). Additional training may be needed.

Skill
Practice Specific
Source

TTCP

Training Type
Online Learning
Location

United States

Notes

1. Knowledge of crops, grazing, and forestry production systems for the geographic area

Title Description
Corn Pest Management This website provides information on insects, diseases and nematodes affecting corn.
Forage Pest Management This website provides information on alfalfa diseases and insects. 
Small Grain Pest Management This website provides information about diseases and insects common to Minnesota small grain crops.
Soybean Pest Management This website provides information on insects and diseases affecting soybean.
Sugarbeet Pest Management This website provides information on insects and diseases affecting sugarbeets.  
Weed Management This website provides information on weed identification, herbicides and herbicide resistance management.
Forest pests and diseases This Minnesota DNR website has links to forest pests and disease descriptions, identification and management options. 

 

2. Ability to use the current Pesticide Screening tool (WIN-PST)

Title Description
Using WIN-PST for Conservation Planning This course introduces you to the Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST). You will learn what the tool is and how to run it. You will also learn how to interpret reports it generates and how they can be used when working with clients. You’ll also see how using this tool fits in the Nine Steps of Conservation Planning.

 

3. Ability to Use Wind and Water Erosion Prediction Tools

Title Description
Erosion 101 This training module focuses on the types of erosion and the resource concerns associated with erosion.  It orients participants to the types and processes of soil erosion to prepare them to utilize the current soil erosion models - RUSLE2 and WEPS.   
Water Erosion Prediction with RUSLE2 This course provides an overview of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), and instructions on how to use the RUSLE2 model to estimate sheet and rill erosion.
Wind Erosion Prediction with WEPS This course provides an overview of the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS), and instructions on how to use the WEPS model to estimate wind erosion.

 

4. Completion of the initial Pest Management training technical assistance with supervision

  • On The Job training

 

5. Completion of the Pest Management course

Title Description
Pest Management, Track 2, Part 1 This training course introduces NRCS' mission in the nutrient and pest management arena and how it relates to the RMS planning process. It also identifies regulatory requirements and partnership roles that help to define that mission. It provides the participant with a basic understanding of the science of nutrient and pest management, as well as environmental concerns associated with the use of nutrients and pest management measures, including environmental risk, and the processes that affect the fate and transport of nutrients and pesticides in the environment. Also covered are climate and water management planning considerations and their practical aspects as they relate to nutrient and pest management. The course contains a video that illustrates the challenges of pest and nutrient management. After successful completion of the self-paced Modules 1 - 6, participants will use exercises and assessment tools in a facilitated session to reinforce and apply important concepts. The participant will prepare a nutrient and/or pest management component of a RMS plan to complete the training.

 

6. Have a current Pest Management Applicator license as required by law in the state of practice

  • Only applicable to pesticide applicators

 

Practice Specific Training

Title Description
Integrated Pest Management Policy and Related Conservation Practice (Time: 18:18 min) The first section of the PowerPoint will focus on National General Manual Policy GM190-404 Subparts A-D along with Conservation Practices and Enhancements that may require running WIN-PST.
Integrated Pest Management Conservation Practice Standard (595) (Time: 26:58 min) The second section of the PowerPoint will focus on the standard differences and updates to the new Integrated Pest Management Conservation Practice Standard (595).
Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST) and National Agronomy Technical Note 5 (Time: 24:27 min) This third section of the PowerPoint will focus on how to use the WIN-PST tool and mitigating hazard results from the tool by using the National Agronomy Technical Note 5.
CSP 595 Integrated Pest Management Implementation Requirements Demonstration Adam Reed, Regional Agronomist with NRCS, demonstrates the use of the Integrated Pest Management Implementation Requirements worksheet.  The worksheet has been programmed in Excel.  It accepts data files from WIN-PST and is integrated with information from Agronomy Technical Notes 5 and 9. Watch this webinar recording to see how much easier pesticide planning can be!
Pest Management and Water Quality Implications This course provides training in common pesticides and the impacts of their presence in water bodies.  It provides an overview of fate and transport pathways and common practices to address pest management.  The course also includes an introduction to WIN-PST.

 

Other Training Opportunities

Title Description
CORE 4 Pest Management Technical References  (Time: will vary)  Basic overview of pest management principles.  Materials concentrate on assessing environmental risks of pest management alternatives.
Hot Topics in Weed Management:  Putting the pieces together With the multitude of crop herbicide resistant trait packages available, chemical weed control has become more complicated, especially as herbicide resistant weeds continue to cause management challenges.  A good understanding of weed biology and trait package options along with results from field trials implementing chemical and non-chemical methods will help you get the most out of your weed management investment.
Herbicide Trait Technology: What to Use When, Where and How Where does it make most sense to use certain herbicide tolerance traits? What are some of the things you should consider when using them? Learn more in this discussion with Dr. Debalin Sarangi, Extension weed scientist and Dr. Tom Peters, Extension sugarbeet agronomist.
Nutrient and Pest Management Equipment This short course looks at application equipment you may see in corn and soybean producing areas.
Nutrient and Pest Management Equipment This short course looks at application equipment you may see in corn and soybean producing areas.
High Tunnel System (Time: 10 mins, 39 secs) This video is about a high tunnel that was built in St. Paul Minnesota by Urban Roots during the summer of 2018 with financial and technical assistance from USDA/NRCS. Urban Roots has been growing vegetables on the East Side of St. Paul for 20 years. This years planted crops include cucumbers, peppers, and ginger. This video demonstrates the step-by-step procedure for building a high tunnel in an urban setting. The advantages and methods for growing vegetables, including pest management in a high tunnel system, are discussed.
Your Insect Allies: Meet the Beneficial Insects that Control Crop Pests and Promote Soil Health Join Karin Jokela, Pollinator Conservation Specialist with the Xerces Society, to get to know some of the most common beneficial insects above and below ground. We will cover habitat planning to promote natural enemies and beneficial soil invertebrates, basic identification and ecology, as well as simple monitoring techniques to help farmers, land managers, and gardeners assess existing populations.
Pest Management From an Ecological Framework No-till, cover crops, and diverse rotations are well known practices that can improve soil health. While they improve soil quality, these practices can simultaneously help build robust populations of soil invertebrates, including predatory species that can be allies in pest control. Unfortunately, many farmers trying to improve soil health appear to be inadvertently handicapping their farming systems by overusing pesticides, particularly insecticides and fungicides. Fortunately, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) provides an established economic framework for deploying pesticides as necessary. Our research suggests that incorporating IPM alongside other soil health practices maximizes the potential for farm fields to better withstand pest invasion while diminishing the potential for pesticides to degrade benefits provided by soil health practices.

Updated: 10/10/2023