How You Can Become a Certified Plant Health Professional
December 16, 2022 
Growers and their technical staff in the greenhouse and controlled environment industry can gain a new qualification in plant health management, thanks to two online training programs offered by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF IFAS) and Michigan State University Extension (MSU Extension).
More than 4,000 growers have already graduated from individual courses through the University of Florida IFAS Extension Greenhouse Training Online program and the MSU College of Knowledge. Now, by passing five courses in plant health in these programs, growers can obtain a new certificate of completion that recognizes their training, skills, and dedication, and helps them grow in their careers.
“We are developing a training curriculum for horticulture professionals already working in industry. Online works well for growers who are already living the how-to of horticulture but benefit from understanding the why of their decision making from the underlying science,” says Paul Fisher, Professor and Extension specialist at UF IFAS.
“The online floriculture College of Knowledge program has provided a broad audience from 39 countries and 46 states with introductory knowledge in greenhouse production” says Heidi Lindberg, Greenhouse and Nursery Educator with MSU Extension. “It has been very successful in training those new to the industry. It provides a great foundation that professionals can then use to build real-life experience.”
How It Will Work
Growers must pass five of six courses, including Nutrient 1 (UF, Paul Fisher), Disease Management (UF, Carrie Harmon), Weed Management (UF, Chris Marble), Water Quality and Treatment (UF, Fisher and multi-state), Abiotic Disorders (MSU/University of Kentucky, Garrett Owen), and Biological Control (MSU/Kansas State University, Ray Cloyd).
Growers sign up for individual courses through the UF IFAS Greenhouse Training Online and the MSU College of Knowledge websites. They can then email g[email protected] once five courses are successfully completed and obtain their certificate of completion at an annual graduation ceremony. The first graduates are expected in July 2023.
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