FCES 2013 Customer Satisfaction Survey Results

FCES 2013 Customer Satisfaction Survey Results:

Responses about using information and suggestions for improvements in service

Hendry County

Responses about using information

I'm a journalist, and I use IFAS Extension information frequently in my reporting, particularly on disease issues. I believe the last time I used the Hendry County Extension site specifically was for an article on citrus black spot, including information on extent of known infections and quarantine areas. I generally find extension information very helpful and accurate and easy to comprehend for the non-scientific layman such as myself.
The seminar was an update on greening disease of citrus and was very informative. It is too early to determine what the future results will be, but I believe we are going in the right direction.
I have attended many seminars on citrus production, on many issues and problems that we face in the industry. There is no single need or problem, or single request for information, for which results can easily be described, as requested above.
Helped provide information that was informative and easily shared with my costumers in developing and explaining a yearly plan for their groves.
It is a tool we can use in our business. It will help in trying to find the desirable answer.
Citrus production in FL is currently a miasma of maladies, all trying to kill our trees and our business. There is some rapid natural selection going on now...and the uninformed and undercapitalized will not survive. This creates economic opportunity for those growers willing and able to go long in our industry. There is no current solution to our problems, only a ton of industry sponsored research which is difficult for growers to keep up with. We depend on our Extension professionals to disseminate this information.
The information pertaining to water and soil pH is extremely important to tree health since we are shifting to the root of our problems. The roots are extremely susceptible to decline once infected with HLB. Almost 1/2 of the fine roots are lost before HLB symptoms are seen in the canopy. This means that we need to prevent further decline by aiming to manage root health along with our current HLB management program.
We are told about the right way to apply the chemicals, about the dosage ,the possible resistance etc. And we follow those recommendations. If we are not satisfied, we ask more questions to different experts and we get it to our satisfaction. And this is available sometimes 7 days a week and this is cheap .and the answers are straight forward .
Ranking of ACP pesticides has been very helpful. Enhanced Nutritional Programs and _____ rejuvenation work is important and useful. Effect of HLB on citrus roots and Phytophthora very important
On a residential level so as to provide info to local residents on how they may save their trees.
Obtaining CEU's and core credits for herbicide license. All information was given and classes were taken.
I don't know which Citrus Seminar that you are referring to in this survey and it wouldn't change my general responses. I am satisfied with most of the content and delivery of the information that I receive through the Extension Service programs and will continue to support the programs as my schedule and needs permit.
I work for the county Property Appraiser and these programs that we attend help keep us current with what the farmers are facing. Also, helps us understand new information which is coming out to help our farmers. I have attended these meetings as often as I can for 20 plus years. It has been very helpful to our office. Over the years we have referred many up and coming farmers to IFAS Extension for help and information that no one else can give. Extension is a must for agricultures future.
The information keeps me updated about the progress against greening, helping Pride to make better management decisions.
Working extremely hard to save my groves, production etc. Been in business 40+ years, graduated from UF in fruit crops. Dr. Zekri is constantly exploring techniques to help this industry. I value his opinions, seminars etc.
Identification of plant diseases, helpful in control of the problem / Able to buy proper kind of fertilizer, the correct chemical
How to take care of citrus problems.
Needed information re: landscape and other types of plants.
About fertilizer, zones plants and many more
Still fighting with attacks on my citrus, fig tree and loquat tree
I do a clinic for residents on a walk in basis / There are many questions on various topics / Any added information that we can learn, aids in us giving the public quality and useful information
For future reference, to have if needed.
Problem greening/fertilization Still working on it. Showing much improvement
I had no idea what I started on our landscape 19 years ago with a garden had 8 mango trees 1 coconut palm 2 honeybells - pruning constantly using citrus nutrition spray on foliage granular via root neighbors and many new predators ie spiraling white fly/ficus white fly crystalline leaf minor lethal greening grubs sod webworm became a full time impossible stressor in my life which started out as a fun filled challenge as a hobby. My wife had been on my case to make our life simple now! She's been on my case big time last 3 years. My interaction with you guys and talking to other people in the audience helped me make a decision with zero regret. I got rid of everything hired a lawn cutter service for every 4 summer months. Got rid of a huge futile task with was trying the impossible in managing all the new predator pests that made Southwest Florida their new home. The property is so open and naked and almost maintenance free,
We have a pomelo which was damaged by frost and has never come back. It has been a year and one half now and it has about 6" of growth sprouts since the frost. My concerns were not addressed by the seminar.
Citrus canker, citrus greening sprayed and foliar feeds as suggested. Used charts and info to evaluate problems. Also brought in leaves.
Over watering
We were using chemicals with resistance and because of your recommendations made changes to our programs.
Irrigation on crops.
Irrigation injection methods and scheduling
Cost effective protected agriculture (tunnel) design. -Fertility management -Irrigation management
To send my son to Counselor camp and Cloverleaf camp. All information was timely and complete.
I have attended many workshops and meetings at the Extension office. I have had the need to learn about irrigation, pesticides, fungicides, general market news and in every visit, the information provided has been timely and very helpful. My entire farming operation has benefited for the information obtained at the Extension office.
I attended the Crop Management seminar for information but also class style. I will be creating a class to teach missionaries and development workers about IPM and how to create their own program.
Drip irrigation and how much would it lower chlorides in the root zone.
I wanted a chemical product that would kill mites but not whiteflies.
Training purposes -Kept in library
Wanted to know best fertilizer rate for Florida lawn and applied fertilizer according to IFAS information and the lawn look good.
I have distributed the info to my 4-Hers. I then find a guest speaker or the topic to better explain to members on topic. I have received a lot of information from extension office.
Keeping abreast of disease and insect levels in sugarcane and citrus as well as suggestions for management. Information is utilized to direct field recommendations. Information insures accurate and timely recommendations to area growers.
We had some brown rust. Information received allowed us to understand the seriousness of the problem and what actions to take.
Drip irrigation information. Grew a successful crop this spring with Drip. the class confirmed some water management plans and gave suggestions of types of materials available
Effect of application has not taken affect yet
Provided additional training opportunities for my field employees. Provided additional CEU opportunity for employees' pesticide license renewal.
Understanding sugarcane fertilization rates and flooding tolerance
Information was used in development of the agricultural _____ control program (receiving credit from BMPs) in the C-139 Basin and areas north of Lake Okeechobee.
There was no immediate need for information - I was making a presentation at an IFAS training session in Belle Glade.
I attended a workshop at the Immokalee center that helped me better understand farming practices in the EAA.
I learned about BMP's and what BMPs that we at USSC can conduct on our farm and meet requirement. How to run our pump and how to stage riser board to drain back of property first that may not have drained doing it the old fashioned way. I learned to select the right spray tip to get desired results - not wasting chemicals.
Sugar cane disease: Rust
Need materials for educational needs
Orange and brown rust in sugarcane.
The information helped me in my research program.
Information regarding applied rates of fertilizer on transitional soils for sugar cane.
They gave me the answers to the questions I asked, and if they couldn't they referred me to another Extension office in my area. And was very courteous in doing so. And if they said they would get back to me, they did exactly that and didn't waste a lot of time.
1. From the start (onset) Dr. R. Raid explained the rating system (thresholds) to spray. 2. Creation in new varieties coop with USDA is the lifeblood of any cropping system!
I work for the Florida Sugar Cane League and we are very concerned about orange rust and the Mexican Rice Borer. I already work with sugarcane varieties and provide some of the information on rust to IFAS and the USDA. Knowledge of the Mexican Rice Borer lets me know what to look for when I am scouting sugarcane fields.
Info helped decide on new varieties and what to plant in fall. Info on Orange Rust - what it looked like and how to treat it. I used info to treat Orange Rust infected cane field with positive results. Info on Mexican Rice Borer will be used in the future.
Disease ID, progression and how the info presented in the program helped me make fungicide application decisions.
Information on controlling orange rust was needed to understand best methods of controlling rust with the most economical practices.
Learned how to properly check for orange rust in sugarcane and proper chemical to apply to control it.
Regular pest pressure update helps me know what to focus resources on.
Basically the different variety performance
We are working with your information in many topics of problems that we have in sugarcane and rice. Your information is a good complement in our jobs.
Identify weeds
Orange rust. Spray timing. it was seemingly effective.
The difference between oranges and brown rust and how they affect sugarcane.
General knowledge to discuss issues affecting sugar cane industry.
I did comparison with applications of Ionized Active Silicon (ZUMSiL)
I need more information on orange rust and the Fungicide program needed to control it.
Rust identification, spray threshold
Continuing to understand nutrient use eff. is key to all areas of Production Ag as well as Green Industries. More in the plant less in the environment. There is a real gap in understanding around the segment bio-stimulants.
CEUs for state license
Spray regulations
I learn the three chemical selective and the important work with this material.
Received study manual for core test - study and passed. Received study manual for aquatic test and attended day presentation at Center study and passed. Received study manual for public health test study and passed.
IFAS (Dr.Raid and Gene McAvoy) conducted several fungicide trials to identify the best control of downey mildew on basil crops along with many other herbs and eggplant and we follow the recommendations. Dr. Kelly Morgan and Gene McAvoy have helped us with phosphorus use for BMP's and soil ph control. He has recommended using a "Olson" soil test method to better quantify our available soil P level which we are comparing this season. Dr. Sanjay Shukla and Gene McAvoyhas helped us reduce P discharge by participating in a water detention improvement project. They also help with drip irrigation and water use issues and currently working on improvement of bed geometry with them for better watering pattern when using drip irrigation. We work with DrBelinisky Santos with growing organic basil under high tunnels where he is investigating organic growing substrates and organic fertilizers.
We had a problem with blossom end rot in pepper even though soil analysis said we had enough calcium. We felt it might have been "tied up" in the soil. We will try N-phoric on a limited basis to see if it makes a difference. I am very satisfied with the information and support I get from the Extension service.
Poisonous weed information. The information provided helped to get my lantana under control.
This information was given to city employee that was in charge of the oak trees. The oaks were getting water drip 24/7 which was too much. Water was then turned on once weekly. They are doing well now, of course all the rain has helped.
Pasture that was formerly an orange grove had been overgrown with a combination of grasses and other vegetative matter. We were looking for a forage combination that would best for our beef cows, and I had read of a perennial peanut combination with Bahia grass. I wanted to know from the extension whether that combo would work in my latitude and region, and what I should do to propagate that combo. A section has been seeded and we are waiting on the rain and nature to take its course.
Very helpful office. Fast with responding.
I was doing a PPT presentation as a Lee County Master Gardener. Gene McAvoy was of great help with "real use" facts that I was searching for, not "book facts". Gene has been a great help to my gardening group and my 4-H. I don't know how he does all that he does.
attended master gardener training and have assisted people already with the information I learned
Right plant /right place. Citrus issues /solutions. Turf issues /solutions. Fertilizers. Pests -control
I live 7 months (permanent resident) in Port Charlotte in a condo community with 368 units -non-gated. I believe in growing FL native non-invasive plants. I needed information about FL plants to encourage our residents to begin replacing plants that take gallons and gallons of precious expensive water to maintain because they are not native to FL. The area is 9 acres. This is a project in process - It is on-going due to limited budget - all volunteers. A map of area is available and our first walk through (on site survey) is in the planning for Dec 2013. The information, handouts, field trips to local gardens coordinated by Extension office has been very informative to our condominium garden committee.
Frizzled palms. Learned to use manganese & have seen positive impact /
I have only been in Florida for 11 years, and I had a lot to learn. The Master Gardener program brought me up to date on so many questions I had about my gardens. Now that many of my friends know that I have been through the program I have many friends want to talk to me about the program. I have been able to help many, and myself.
Informally, useful both personally and questions from friends and acquaintances. Also, immediately after Master Gardener classed finished, found meaningful volunteer work with other (experienced, expert) Master Gardeners from whom I am learning constantly.
I have worked at the Plant Clinics several times; there I used what I learned in class as well as IFAS Fact Sheets to answer many questions.
The information was part of the Master Gardener training program in Charlotte County. I am using the training to answer questions by others and to help me in my gardening endeavors.
I needed information on the Beef industry to give a presentation. I felt very informed and the presentation was received very well.
was trying to decide whether to purchase and plan a fig tree for its fruits. decided not to based upon the success at the center.
I worked on the Plant Lifeline and used some of the materials to assist a caller looking for information about her citrus trees. She was satisfied with the information I was able to provide.
It was very helpful when I completed the MBA program.
I am a 4-H leader and needed the information to help the kids prepare for county and district events.
I call on Gene McAvoy frequently, as well as Lindsey Wiggins on occasion. I am a real estate broker who specializes in ag properties, groves and farm leases. Gene is so incredibly helpful. He is always quick to respond and if it's something he doesn't have an answer for, he steers me to someone who does. I feel he is a great asset to our agricultural community and I pass his contact information along to most of my customers, always confident that he will assist them. Many of my customers are new to agricultural endeavors and I feel like it's especially helpful for them to have such a resourceful person as Gene available to them. I have consulted him many times in the last year so don't know which time prompted the survey. Lindsey has also been helpful to me in the past when I had customers starting a new cow/calf operation and more recently with a hay farm that I am marketing. /I have consulted Gene on everything from Moringa trees to beekeeping, row crops to groves and hay fields, biofuel crops to needing a farm manager. He is just great!
Soil test for growing pasture grass. Recommended the amount of lime, fertilizers and grass type. Got grass.
I am in constant need of field trial results and ratings for new pesticide and fungicide products. I utilize the information generated by the studies conducted by IFAS Extension to make determinations about if, how, and when to incorporate a new product or products into my pesticide and fungicide spray program. Thanks to the trial work done by IFAS Extension and the accuracy of the reported findings, the results are usually favorable as predicted.
I have lived at this spot since 1954 I did sell fruit enough to pay taxes and out to eat now and then now 30 trees 1 bu. of fruit was told to give. up. This won't happen I keep planting new.
Passed info on to beginning orange grower.
I'm a trade journalist for the citrus industry, and the programs aimed at citrus growers always provide me with good information to pass on to citrus growers and production managers.

Suggestions for improvements in service