“An invaluable resource.” “Wonderful to work with.” “Always positive.” Long Island farmers know a good thing when they see it — which is why Sandra Menasha, vegetable specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) in Suffolk County, has earned an Excellence in IPM award from the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program (NYS IPM) at Cornell University.
Mark Zaweski of MKZ Farms has worked closely with Menasha for the past decade on a range of projects. “But her work with me on IPM scouting outweighs all the others,” Zaweski says.
A good scout knows how to monitor crops to estimate pest numbers — and beneficials, too. When it comes to disease and insect pests, Menasha’s what, where, and how many reports save Zaweski money. It’s a core tenet of IPM: no point treating for a pest that isn’t there.