An Organic Pest and Weed Management Guide for Extension Agents and Technical Service Providers (TSPs).
This factsheet is meant to provide extension agents and technical service providers in the south with an overview of organic pest and weed management, and increase knowledge of organic systems to effectively support organic and transitioning-to-organic farmers.
Prefer to listen? Watch our Organic Pest and Weed Management for Extension Agents in the South webinar.
Pest and weed pressure is one of the most significant challenges facing organic producers — affecting crop yields, product quality, and the economic sustainability of farming operations. In the hot, humid conditions of the southern region, these pressures are especially intense, making effective, NOP-compliant management strategies essential knowledge for anyone advising farmers in the field.
This 75-min session is designed specifically for extension agents, technical service providers (TSPs), and others who support organic and transitioning farmers in the South. Presenters walk through the most common insects, diseases, and weeds found across the SSARE region — from armyworm and root-knot nematode to pigweed and nutsedge — and connect that regional context to the pest management requirements outlined in the National Organic Program. Drawing on research conducted in the South, the session focuses on practical, science-backed strategies that extension agents and TSPs can bring directly to the farmers they serve, covering approaches to weed management, insect and disease control, and the “many little hammers” IPM framework that underpins organic production.
