GREENSBORO, N.C., USA, February 11, 2016 –
Gene McAvoy, a vegetable extension agent with University of Florida, is a longtime advocate for agriculture and promoting improved resistance-management practices. Syngenta recognizes McAvoy’s efforts and is proud to welcome him as the 2015 member to The Resistance Fighter® Leadership Program. Formed to honor advisors who help growers manage resistance, the program provides members with opportunities to expand their resistance knowledge and a platform to share that knowledge with others.
McAvoy holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Rutgers University. He is currently responsible for developing and implementing educational programs for vegetable producers in five counties in southwest Florida, covering topics such as integrated pest management and vegetable nutrition.
“Throughout my career working in vegetable crops in South Florida, I’ve seen diseases, insects and weeds develop resistance to traditional management programs,” McAvoy said. “It is important to incorporate integrated pest management and other methods to complement chemical programs, and becoming a member of this program is a good way to get the word out there.”
A few years ago, McAvoy saw western flower thrips populations developing resistance to certain insecticides. Acting quickly and with great success, he helped promote grower cultivation of refugia for beneficial insects. Populations of western flower thrips returned to insecticide-susceptible levels, showing how proactive management helps preserve existing management tools.
“Resistance issues are an ever-increasing challenge in agriculture,” said David Laird, head of product biology, Syngenta. “We are proud to partner with advisors like Gene, who meet those challenges head on and help find solutions to preserve the tools we have.”
For more information about the Resistance Fighter Leadership Program and to learn more about past winners, visit
www.resistancefighter.com. Join the conversation online – connect with us at
social.SyngentaUS.com.
About Syngenta
Syngenta is a leading agriculture company helping to improve global food security by enabling millions of farmers to make better use of available resources. Through world class science and innovative crop solutions, our 28,000 people in over 90 countries are working to transform how crops are grown. We are committed to rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities. To learn more visit
www.syngenta.com and
www.goodgrowthplan.com. Follow us on Twitter® at
www.twitter.com/Syngenta and
www.twitter.com/SyngentaUS.
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