Tactical Agriculture (TAg) for Eastern New York

Abstract

The Tactical Agriculture (TAg) program is an experiential, hands-on training, integrated pest and crop management educational program for field crop producers, and other agribusiness personnel, that has been active in New York State since 1990. The TAg program teaches field crop producers to better manage field crops, protect the environment and reduce health risks. Participants are actively integrated into the growing-season-long program, which focuses on the collection of data from their fields in conjunction with meetings to discuss critical pest and crop management issues that arise during the growing season. In 2002, we implemented TAg in Madison, Oneida, and Dutchess Counties. Five teams, consisting of 21 farming operations and 42 fields (800 acres) enrolled in TAg. Fields enrolled served as meeting places to discuss, demonstrate and practice IPM and ICM methods. Collectively, this years grower participants are expected to utilize their IPM and ICM training on the approximately 20,000 acres of field crops they manage.