CAFF to teach sustainable pest control methods for specialty crop growers
The agenda includes pest identification, scouting, and trapping, building a pest management plan and sprayer calibration for a bed or a field.
By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
June 9, 2025
Fast facts:
- CAFF course set for June 17-18
- Register online
(211 words)
(Newsrooms: With file art)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food is offering a two-day course in sustainable pest control for fruit and vegetable growers on June 17-18.
“The integrated pest management short course will help farmers understand how to manage many common insects found in fruits and vegetables in Northwest Arkansas using organic practices,” Joe Hannon, CAFF horticulture instructor.
CAFF is offering a short course on sustainable pest management. (U of Arkansas Sytem Division of Agriculture file photo)
The course will be held at the CAFF Farm at 1005 Meade Ave. in Fayetteville. The $30 registration includes lunch. The sessions run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. Register online.
The session will be led by CAFF instructors, county extension agents, and local farmers who will share their expertise and best practices.
The agenda includes pest identification, scouting, and trapping, building a pest management plan and sprayer calibration for a bed or a field:
Day 1
- Identification of common fruit and vegetable pests — Aaron Cato, extension specialist – horticulture-integrated pest management
- Building and checking traps at CAFF — Colin Massey, Washington County extension agent
- Options for organic pest management — Joe Hannan, horticulture instructor, CAFF
Day 2
- Building a pest management plan — Joe Hannan, horticulture instructor, CAFF
- What does it cost? — Ryan Neal, Benton County extension agent
- Sprayer calibration for 1,000 square feet or 100,000 square feet — instructor to be determined.
Find more information https://farmandfoodsystem.uada.edu/short-courses/.
About CAFF
The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food was developed to strengthen and expand our
food and farming system by providing new opportunities to shape our current and future
farmers, food entrepreneurs and food system leaders. CAFF is a program of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station through the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen
agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption
of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative
Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work
within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
# # #
Media contact: Mary Hightower
mhightower@uada.edu