University of Maryland PSEP Activities, FY 11

Non-Technical Summary: <BR>Under an agreement with the US EPA, individual state Pesticide Safety Education Programs (PSEPs) provide training for applicators of restricted use pesticides (i.e., those designated as potential hazards to human or environmental health even when used according to label directions). The PSEP coordinators of each Land Grant University are responsible for the program in their state or territory. In Maryland, initial training for certification is conducted primarily through self-study manuals, but private applicators (growers) have the option of attending supplemental training offered by county Extension agents. It is also the county faculty who offer recertification training for private applicators in Maryland. Commercial applicator recertification is conducted primarily by campus faculty and by regional specialists, with experts in the respective areas serving as instructors. The UME PSEP Coordinator provides state leadership on pesticide safety education and serves as a liaison to state and federal pesticide agencies on matters affecting pesticide users throughout the state. Specifically, the Coordinator provides leadership and develops materials for PSEP, the Worker Protection Standard (WPS), and the Maryland Agromedicine Program; offers annual in-service training on PSEP, WPS, Agromedicine, and pesticide policies for Extension educators throughout the state; plans, implements and evaluates major conferences for pesticide applicators in forest, right-of-way, industrial weed, aquatic, wood treatment, fumigation, and demonstration and research categories; and maintains and updates the Pesticide Education and Assessment Program website and the internal website for professional development of UME pesticide safety educators in the counties, regions, and on campus. Outputs include: initial development and revisions of training materials (manuals, fact sheets, PowerPoint presentations) for pesticide applicators; initial development and revisions of background materials (fact sheets, web-based materials) for UME pesticide safety educators; postings to the public website for access by pesticide applicators, other stakeholders and the general public; postings to the internal website for UME pesticide safety educators. Outcomes from UME PSEP are due to improvements in pesticide applicators' safe and effective use of pesticides, and include short-, medium-, and long-term horizons. Short-term outcomes include: improvement in knowledge, skills, and attitudes of pesticide applicators. Medium-term outcomes include adoption of recommended practices by pesticide applicators. Long-term outcomes include: maintenance/improvement of personal health & safety for applicators and their families; maintenance/improvement of public health; maintenance/improvement of environmental integrity. <P> Approach: <BR> The Maryland Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) uses a variety of methods to teach occupational pesticide users, occasional users, and the general public how to best protect and/or improve personal and public health as well as maintain and/or improve environmental integrity when using pesticides. Activities include presenting educational programs in a classroom setting or hands-on environment; developing, updating and distributing manuals, fact sheets, and other educational materials; offering certification and recertification training programs; and informing pesticide applicators of programs, materials, and new policies/regulations impacting proper pesticide use. Timely, updated information is presented through (1) a public website (http://pesticide.umd.edu/) for pesticide applicators, health care providers, and the general public, (2) an internal website for professional development of Extension pesticide educators within the state, and (3) the Just-In-Time listserv for pesticide applicators and other stakeholders interested in remaining informed of time-sensitive pesticide issues. The Maryland PSEP Coordinator works closely with the Maryland Department of Agriculture to identify the needs and activities for the year.