PESTICIDE SAFETY EDUCATION PROGRAM, WI

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: TERMINATED
• Funding Source: OTHER GRANTS
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0226876
• Grant No.: 2011-48679-31089
• Project No.: WISN-2011-05656
• Proposal No.: 2011-05656
• Program Code: PSEP
• Project Start Date: Sep 1, 2011
• Project End Date: Aug 31, 2012
• Grant Year: 2011

Project Director
Shutske, J.

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - EXTENSION
432 N. LAKE STREET
MADISON,WI 53706

Performing Department
Cooperative Extension

Non Technical Summary
Pesticide applications are often determined critical to protect food and crop production, protect human and animal health, protect natural habitats from invasive pests, and protect the structural integrity of buildings. This is a multi-billion dollar industry vetted to protect even much more value of produced products. This program trains over 5,500 pesticide applicators annually in the state of WI. By providing appropriate training and resources to ensure proper applications, it protects the safety of pesticide users, protects the safety of the general public near pesticide applications or consumers of products that received applications, and protects the environment from mis-applications.

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

100%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
723	5220	3020	50%
711	5220	3020	25%
133	5220	3020	25%

Knowledge Area
133 - Pollution Prevention and Mitigation; 711 - Ensure Food Products Free of Harmful Chemicals, Including Residues from Agricultural and Other Sources; 723 - Hazards to Human Health and Safety;

Subject Of Investigation
5220 - Pesticides;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;

Keywords

pesticide applicator training

commercial applicators

private applicators

pest management

Goals / Objectives
The objective of the Wisconsin Pesticide Applicator Training Program is to provide leadership and coordination for educating people to become certified commercial or private pesticide users and ensures that everyone has current information to protect the safety of the pesticide user and the general public.

Project Methods
The PAT program does NOT advocate pesticide use over other means of pest management, however, it focuses on the safe and proper use of pesticides by individuals who have already determined that pesticides are necessary in a given situation. The selection, use, and potential risks of pesticides vary depending on the method of application and what it is you want to protect from pests. Therefore, there is a separate training manual for 21 pest control categories, including categories for agricultural producers (farmers), the agricultural industry (10 categories), use in and around commercial and residential buildings (6 categories), use in right-of-way and surface waters (3 categories), and preserving wood. The primary training format, then, is the category-specific manual. Every applicator seeking certification receives his/her own personal copy of the manual. The manual is written and designed not only for the purpose of helping an applicator pass the certification exam, but it also serves as a refernce guide throughout the applicator's 5-year certification period. Thus, the self-study method is available to all applicators. The PAT program also provides optional live training sessions in 6 major categories (see Live Sessions under the Certification tab). Cumulatively, live sessions potentially provide an opportunity for 90% of the commercial applicators statewide to receive supplemental training in conjunction with the written manual. Self-study is the only option for applicators in the remaining categories.

Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The University of Wisconsin Pesticide Applicator Training Program Safety Education Program, also known as the Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) Program is a Federally Mandated Program through the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. The state of Wisconsin, as part compliance to FIFRA and its own pesticide law, requires pesticide applicators to be certified to apply pesticides. This certification is an indication of competence to apply the pesticide as safely and effectively as possible. An applicator must become recertified every five years. There is approximately 30,000 certified pesticide applicators in the state of Wisconsin. The PAT program works in a partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP). It is the role of the University of Wisconsin's PAT Program to provide the training and training materials to the applicators of Wisconsin and it is WDATCP's role to administer the testing for certification. The PAT program accomplishes this by providing the manuals; DVD's and in-person live training workshops within the state. It trains and distributes training materials to commercial applicators and coordinates and provides training materials to county extension offices for the private applicators. The county extension team distributes the private applicators manual, provides live training and administers the certification exams. PARTICIPANTS: Vince Davis, Assistant professor, cropping systems, weed science extension specialist (Faculty Advisor). Glenn Nice, Pesticide Applicator Training Program Manager. Steve Tomasko, Outreach Specialist. Ellen Anlauf, Office Administrator. Mike Murray, Pesticide Program Manager, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. TARGET AUDIENCES: The Pesticide Applicator Training Program provides the training materials for commercial and private pesticide applicators to become certified in Wisconsin. This certification (training) process is implemented to reduce the risks of pesticide use within the state. The target audience is the pesticide applicators that work for the pest control industry within the state and the individuals that use pesticides in the production of an agricultural commodity. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The PAT program provides training manuals for 13 commercial, three private categories and three subcategories. In the reporting period the PAT program put 5,163 commercial applicators and 1,738 private applicators through the training program, distributing 6,901 manuals, 457 DVD study aids and 159 tutorial cd's. In the reporting period five manuals were updated. The PAT program held 17 training sessions at nine locations around the state having 1,217 in attendance. The PAT program coordinates and provided training materials for 69 county extension offices.

Publications

• Sewer Line Root Control. 2012. Second ed. Steve Tomasko and Roger Flashinski.
• Space & Commodity Fumigation. 2012 Seventh ed. Steve Tomasko, Roger Flashinski.
• Structural. 2012. Seventh ed. Steve Tomasko, Roger Flashinski, Phil Pellitteri and David Drake.
• Termite Control. 2012. Fith ed. Steve Tomasko, Roger Flashinski and Phil Pellitteri.
• Wood Preservation. 2012. Sixth ed. Steve Tomasko and Roger Flashinski.
• Cranberry Pest Management in Wisconsin. 2012, Patricia Mc Manus, Jed Calquhoun, R.Chris Williamson and Glenn Nice. A3276