UNH Extension offers many resources and services to help you diagnose problems, educate your workers and clients, earn recertification credits, and operate your business in an efficient and environmentally sound manner. Insect and tick i.d. services, plant diagnostics, soil testing and fertilizer recommendations are just a few ways that Extension can help you avoid costly mistakes. We can also provide advice and answers to your questions by phone, email or through a personal site visit if needed. Similar services exist in neighboring states and we can help you find them.
Visit their website: http://extension.unh.edu
Afternoon Session Class: “Introduction to Pesticides”
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
This afternoon class will help you learn about the process of becoming certified in pesticide application, identifying pesticide damage and insect identification.
This class is led by:
Rachel Maccini, Pesticide Safety Education Program Coordinator
Rachel Maccini is the Pesticide Safety Education Program, Coordinator. Her primary responsibilities are to coordinate and deliver pesticide safety education to licensed and non-licensed pesticide applicators statewide. She has created and manages an online education system for licensed applicators to earn recertification credits and has been a part of extension and education for the past 13 years.
Rachel uses her entomology skills to help identify insects and/or arthropods that are sent into the Education Center. Identifying these pests is often the crucial first step towards solving a problem and providing safe controls and/or treatment. She also assists with the Master Gardener training through her teaching of Entomology, IPM
Prior to joining UNH Cooperative Extension, Rachel worked as an Entomologist I for the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food. Her responsibilities included providing support, education and annual plant inspections to growers throughout the state.
Afternoon Session Class: “Extension Service Help Protect your Profit”
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
This afternoon will help you diagnose problems, educate your workers and clients, earn re-certification credits, and operate your business in an efficient and environmentally sound manner. Insect and tick i.d. services, plant diagnostics, soil testing and fertilizer.
This Class will be led by:
Dr. Cathy Neal, Extension Specialist, Landscape Horticulture
Cathy came to UNH Cooperative Extension from Univ. of Florida in late 1999. She works with commercial horticulture clientele in the state to maintain professionalism in the green industry and to encourage sustainable practices and designs. She is well-known for her educational leadership in landscaping for water quality and in planting for pollinators.
Complimenting her Extension work, Cathy has a split appointment as a Researcher with the NH Agricultural Experiment Station (NHAES). Her research program focuses on methods for establishment of wildflower meadows for
Dr. Cheryl Smith,
Extension Plant Health Specialist & Director, UNH Plant Diagnostic Lab
Cheryl officially joined UNH Extension in 1993. In addition to her role as state Plant Health specialist, she is also director of the UNH Plant Diagnostic Lab. The UNH-PDL offers diagnostic services to help solve plant health-related problems for both commercial producers and home horticulturists. Diagnostic services include the identification of plant pathogens, environmental disorders, and insect pests, as well as educational information regarding management and prevention. Cheryl’s additional responsibilities include delivering outreach educational programs on plant health and providing training in the identification and management of plant diseases and disorders to commercial producers, landscape specialists, Extension staff and home horticulturists. Her current teaching responsibilities focus on Introductory Plant Pathology and guest lectures in several courses offered through the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture. Her focus and
Cheryl received her BA in Biology from Plymouth State College, MS in Plant Pathology and Entomology from the University of Rhode Island, and PhD in Botany and Plant Pathology from the University of New Hampshire. She has been a diagnostic plant pathologist her entire career. Before coming to UNH, she was the diagnostician for the plant diagnostic labs at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and the University of Rhode Island.
Dr. Anna Wallingford, Extension State Specialist, Entomology, Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham
Anna is brand new to UNH Cooperative Extension, but she has more than 15 years of experience studying pest insects and diseases affecting several fruits, vegetable, and ornamental commodities throughout the country. Her role in the state is to work directly with colleagues and with the state’s agricultural producers to implement strategies for sustainable management of crop pests.