Title: IPM Manager

Reports to: Grower Managers, Growers, Farms Production Manager

Based at: Kingsville, Ontario. Canada

Type of Employment: Full time, permanent, 5 days a week

Job Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

This individual will be responsible for developing, implementing and administrating an in-house Integrated Pest Management Program to ensure we maintain pests and diseases below economic impact in our crops.

• Must possess a valid Pesticide Applicator License.
• Develop and implement a Scouting and Monitoring of Pests and Diseases Program, determine amount of scouts per farm, create forms and protocols for monitoring of pest and diseases, create a training session for scouts and maintain training records.
• Develop a weekly report of Scouting and Monitoring containing charts, graphs and calculations of incidence and severity of each pest and disease to be send to the Growers on a weekly basis.
• Create weekly scouting maps were the location and the severity of the pests and diseases can be easily identified.
• Meet with each grower once a week to determine a plan of action according to the results of the Scouting and Monitoring report.
• Identify and establish thresholds for each pest and determine a plan of action for its treatment in conjunction with the grower.
• Execute weekly checkups to ensure pollination is up to desire levels in all tomato crops, include the findings on the weekly report and make recommendations to the grower.
• Place weekly orders of Biologicals and Beehives for all Farms.
• Monitor the application and placement of the Biologicals according to weekly plan.
• Maintain records per farm/crop of all treatments applied using Biologicals insects, tracking treatments efficacy, parasitism percentages, predatory efficacy, and any other measure that is important to keep a cost/effectiveness approach in the IPM program.
• Execute regular checkups to the quality of Biologicals by measuring hatching percentage, compare the quality of brands available in the market and make recommendations to the grower.
• Develop and implement a training session for spray team members to ensure the equipment is being operated properly according to each biological target.
• Taking samples of diseased plants to send to laboratory for pathological identification.
• Maintain records of the cost of bio treatments per crop per season.
• Walk through the crops weekly with the plant specialist or crop advisor from the supplier company.
• Ensure that the protocols of inspection of vegetal material and plantlets coming to the greenhouses are followed.
• Ensure all protocols of Biosecurity are followed according to the Company policies and reinforce when necessary.
• Must promote a safe and secure workplace environment.
• Must maintain high standards of conduct and professionalism.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• 2 years or more of experience in the field of crop protection.
• Familiarity with computers.
• Must be familiar with horticultural nomenclature.
• Ability to communicate effectively (written, oral and spoken) in English; additional languages (i.e. Spanish, will be considered an asset).
• Post-secondary education is considered an asset.

Physical Abilities:

• Must be able to sit, stand, and/or walk for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with body, arms, and/or legs.
• Must be able to lift material regularly up to 14 kg / 30 lbs; and occasionally up to 23 kg / 50lbs
• Able to climb stairs and stand on feet for an extended period of time.
• Work in a temperature-controlled environment of approximately 13 C / 55 F.

Job Requirements: The incumbent will be committed to customer service excellence and leading by example. A positive attitude in the workplace is required as is the ability to adhere to all human resources, operational and food and health safety policies and procedures.

Note: This description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. Responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the jobholder might differ from those outlined and other duties may be assigned.

Mucci Farms welcomes and encourages applications with disabilities to apply. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you require a specific accommodation due to a disability or documented medical need, please contact the Human Resource Department so that arrangements can be made for the appropriate accommodation. Mucci Farms is achieving a culture and work environment that is supportive of employees with disabilities and promotes dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity.