Pesticide Safety Education Program

The PD will work closely with SLA to provide effective, meaningful, and appropriate program development and management for both the Missouri private and commercial pesticide applicator training programs. The PD will provide to the private pesticide training cadre (consisting of approximately 31 regional extension specialists) specific instructions and procedures relating to program execution and access to training materials in the various formats of a pesticide reference manual, powerpoint presentations covering core and category topics, and DVD presentations covering specific topics such as (1) drift management, (2) pesticide record keeping , and (3) identification and management of current and emerging pests. <P>These materials will be used for formal pesticide training sessions held in a majority of Missouri counties. In addition, each county extension center in the State of Missouri will be provided a 2.25 hour training video for walk-in training of pesticide applicators seeking either certification or re-certification pesticide training. Private program assessment vehicles will be provided for use by both formal and walk-in training clientele. <P> For commercial pesticide applicator certification and recertification training, the PD and SLA in partnership with several state extension specialists will annually develop and present core and category training at 5 locations within Missouri during the month of January. A 4-hour core training session is presented during the morning and numerous 3-4 hour category training sessions presented during the afternoon. Adoption of the federal pesticide core manual will replace the existing Missouri core manual for the 2012 training season. Similarly, category specialists will be revising the Missouri Right of Way manual, the Turf and Ornamental manual, and adapt a public health manual from Iowa for use in Missouri. Work will continue on the updating of the Ag Plant and Household and Pantry pest manuals. <P>Although all commercial applicators receiving pesticide certification and recertification training complete an assessment, the specific questions used for commercial program assessment will be reviewed and modified if needed prior to the 2012 training programs. Communication of training activities and schedules are conveyed to clientele by the PAT website at the University of Missouri, by brochures mailed to applicators requiring recertification training, or by phone with PD or SLA contacts. Regionally, the PD and SLA in cooperation with category specialists will coordinate category training help present comprehensive pesticide training programs . <P> Educational activities will focus primarily on the Missouri private applicator training program and will include both group formal classroom and individual county extension center video training sessions utilizing updated manuals and other training materials;