Aug 4, 2022
Farwest Offers Route to Pesticide Recertification

The 2022 Farwest Show, in Portland, Oregon, Aug. 24–26, will offer 10 hours of credit toward pesticide recertification, including six in the Pesticide Class Pass trek that have Spanish translation provided. This gives nursery and greenhouse workers an easy way to build their knowledge, keep it current, and stay certified, so they can use it.

Attendees can opt for a one-day pass for Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday for $49; a two-day pass with choice of days for $98; or a three-day pesticide pass for $119. These include any Spanish-only non-pesticide sessions that are held as well. There are also options for a one-day or three-day all-access education pass. All of these passes include three days of admission to the Farwest Show floor at no added cost.

“Farwest is here to help green industry people build their abilities and their knowledge,” said Heather Cyrus, events and education manager for the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN), which produces Farwest. “Good workers are never easy to find. For employers, it makes sense to keep your team versatile and their skills polished. Our goal has always been to make it easy, convenient and relevant for both employer and employee.”

Experts sharing their knowledge of pesticides at the Farwest pesticide classes include the following:

Brian Hill, faculty research assistant at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center, who will present a session on crop adapted spraying;
George Grant, technical specialist with Griffin Greenhouse Supplies,who will present a session on the prevention and control of root and crown diseases, plus a second session on integrating biological control agents with chemical spray programs;
Dr. Luisa Santamaria, professor and Extension plant pathologist at Oregon State University, who will present a session in Spanish on scouting for boxwood diseases;
Dr. Jay Pscheidt, Extension plant pathology specialist at Oregon State University, who will discuss pesticide coverage of difficult-to-spray plants such as boxwoods;
Dr. Ann Chase, co-founder, Chase Agricultural Consulting, will share recent research she has conducted on disease control products for nursery crops;
Dr. Raymond Cloyd, professor and extension specialist with Kansas State University, will discuss the biology, ecology and damage linked to the redheaded flea beetle, a nursery pest, plus a second session looking at the different types of mite pests and strategies to manage them in landscapes and nurseries; and
Alison Kutz, biocontrol advisor and owner at Sound Horticulture, will present two sessions on beneficial insects.