Due to the nature of insects, particularly cotton insects, Extension entomology is one of the most exciting and satisfying careers in agriculture. Beginning prior to planting, and going through the next ≈15 weeks, there are approximately 300,000 individual cotton insect management decisions made for 12 or more insect pests in the ≈20,000 cotton fields in Alabama each year. The goal of our program is to influence as many of these decisions as possible. To do this, there are two primary “abilities” an Extension entomologist (or any other professional) must have. The first ability is “visibility.” To be able to help farmers make decisions, they must “know you exist.” There are many ways to build and improve visibility. The second ability is “accessibility.” That is having the desire to help people and the willingness to answer the phone, text, e-mails, and the myriad of modern means available for communication and connection with others. In this presentation, we will discuss how the Alabama Extension Cotton Entomology Program helps farmers stay on top of the insect situation as it changes from week to week and field to field.
.png)
