An official website of the United States government.
The overall objectives and goals of this project are to educate users of pesticides in safety in order to protect themselves, others, and the environment. The project also has an overall goal of educating pesticide users in how pesticides may be used most effectively and efficiently. As outputs, it is expected that pesticide applicators will improve adoption of pesticide safety and risk management practices through certification and recertification training. <p> The project also expects to improve adoption of safety and risk management practices through education programs for non-certification purposes. A final expectation is to conduct train-the-trainer programs of county extension agents so that they are competent in conducting training programs for their clientele at the local level.
Non-Technical Summary: <BR>Pesticides and their use add to Florida's economy and improve the quality of our lives. They are proven to be efficacious and cost-effective; however, they must be handled in a judicious manner for safety reasons. Federal and Florida law require that applicators of restricted use pesticides be certified and licensed. Restricted use pesticides are those that are classified as such by the EPA because they pose a significant risk to humans or to the environment. Besides the legal requirement, some employers require their employees to become licensed, and their employment is contingent upon licensing, regardless of type of pesticide used in their lines of work. To maintain the validity of restricted use pesticide applicator certification and licensing, recertification is required. Recertification is an opportunity for applicators to increase their knowledge of the latest technology, such as new products, pest updates, and application safety, equipment, and techniques. The overall benefits will be both from both the applicator and society perspectives, including improved applicator safety, and a cleaner and more healthy environment. <P> Approach: <BR> The Florida Pesticide Safety Education Program is coordinated by the Pesticide Information Office (PIO) at the University of Florida. The PSEP Coordinator's salary is paid through state funding. The staff includes one full-time Extension Educator. The Florida program depends on county extension staff referred to as County Trainers to deliver much of the pesticide education programs. County extension offices administer certification examinations for 19 categories under an agreement with the State Lead Agency. The UF PIO writes the examinations. The State Lead Agency provides support for the exam development and for the exam administration. Initial certification training is offered at county extension offices based on the needs of the clientele in the county. Regional and statewide programs are also used to provide training for select high-demand categories. The PIO maintains applicator training manuals for applicator self-study. Manuals for Florida applicator categories are available for self-study by applicators to prepare for the certification exams. Manual development and revisions are coordinated by the PIO. Recertification training is provided through county, regional, and statewide programs. Several commodity or trade association programs also provide recertification opportunities. Approximately 80% of the programs offered for continuing education credits for applicators are sponsored by the Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Extension provides program opportunities for non-certified persons to obtain pesticide safety education.