Training Educators to Protect Honey Bee Pollinators with Sustainable Pest Management

Training Educators to Protect Honey Bee Pollinators with Sustainable Pest Management

Objectives/Performance Targets

Objectives of the 2-year project follow.
1) Increase educators’ (extension agents and beekeeper representatives) knowledge about crop pollination and demonstrate how they, in turn, can train beekeeper-farmers to manage bees to improve pollination;
2) Increase educators’ knowledge about new honey bee mite management tactics and how to use them effectively.
3) Improve extension agents’ attitude about a subject that most are unfamiliar with.
4) A long-term, mutually beneficial relationship should be established when trained, confident educators interact with beekeepers having very diverse lifestyles who request information about protecting their bees. When beekeepers discover that agents care about their problems and have the skill to provide solutions, future interactions are more likely to be successful leading to lasting partnerships that can serve as a framework for more programs.
5) Improved recommendations, skill training and better rapport with educators should increase adoption of these management tactics by beekeepers throughout Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Accomplishments/Milestones

During the first 6 months of the project (July – December 2003), the initial planned, specific objective was accomplished. Planning meetings were conducted in each state (TN, KY and AL) at which beekeepers provided input regarding the content of training sessions for county extension agents. By mid-summer 2004, a training manual for training sessions will be published. Training sessions will occur in late summer/early fall in each state.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

1. Proposed impacts and contributions of our training sessions follow.
   1) Trainees (county extension agents) should be well informed on the most recent and effective honey bee mite management tactics. They should be able to make management recommendations that readily integrate non-chemical and sustainable management tactics with traditional miticidal treatment.

   2) With this knowledge should come increased confidence, which, in turn, should improve their ability to train others on honey bee pest management.

   3) An ultimate impact should be increased survival of bee colonies, and reduced chemical miticide use and chemical contamination of honey and wax.

Collaborators: