Florida Extension Agent Honored For His Integrated Pest Management Teaching

Posted by Frank Giles|February 16, 2016

Gene McAvoy, a vegetable Extension agent with University of Florida and a longtime contributor to Florida Grower^® magazine, has been recognized by Syngenta as a member to The Resistance Fighter Leadership Program. Formed to honor advisors who help growers manage resistance, the program provides members with opportunities to expand their resistance knowledge and a platform to share that knowledge with others.

Gene McAvoy

“Throughout my career working in vegetable crops in South Florida, I’ve seen diseases, insects, and weeds develop resistance to traditional management programs,” McAvoy said. “It is important to incorporate integrated pest management and other methods to complement chemical programs, and becoming a member of this program is a good way to get the word out there.”

“Resistance issues are an ever-increasing challenge in agriculture,” said David Laird, head of product biology, Syngenta. “We are proud to partner with advisors like Gene, who meet those challenges head on and help find solutions to preserve the tools we have.”