Agricultural Pest Control Adviser Preparation (1 of 2): Crop Protection

Award Type: Certificate of Achievement

The Agricultural Pest Control Adviser Preparation (1 of 2): Crop Protection certificate of achievement program is designed for students preparing for or advancing in careers in crop protection and pest control. It prepares students for a wide variety of entry-level positions related to pest identification, prevention, control methods and applications of crop protection materials. This first of two stackable certificates provides students with the foundational courses which, when built upon by completion of the second certificate in Agricultural Pest Control Adviser Preparation (2 of 2): Production Systems, will meet the requirements to qualify to take the Pest Control Adviser licensing exam. The program emphasis is on local career opportunities such as pest management and control, agronomy, farm management, greenhouse and nursery operations, agricultural inspection, and crop advising. This program will adequately prepare students for advanced studies in many agricultural science fields including: Crop Protection, Crop Science, Agricultural Science, Fruit Science, Vegetable Science or Sustainable Agriculture.

The graduate of the Certificate of Achievement in Agricultural Pest Control Adviser Preparation (1 of 2): Crop Protection will:

1. identify plant pathogens, insects and weed species and assess the economic impact of pest infestations to determine the proper course of action for treatment and control.
2. utilize integrated pest management strategies and techniques to sustainably prevent and control pathogen, insect and weed populations.
3. demonstrate working knowledge of plant physiological processes that affect crop production.
4. demonstrate knowledge of pesticide modes of action and the biology of host-pest interactions in order to make effective and sustainable pest management decisions.