Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT EXTENSION
(N/A)
BURLINGTON,VT 05405
Performing Department
Cooperative Extension
Non Technical Summary
The Vermont Pesticide Education and Safety program (PESP) will inform and educate Vermont pesticide users about accepted uses and other pesticide regulations made under FIFRA. The UVM PESP will fulfill the objective of protecting human health and the environment by providing pesticide applicators (or applicator candidates) with the information necessary to safely and properly apply restricted use pesticides. Our training programs will consist of a variety of educational activities including classroom presentations, newsletters, web-based information, hands on training and printed factsheets. Our programs will focus on certified pesticide applicators, general use applicators and the general public. The Vermont PESP will work closely with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture (SLA) to identify the pesticide education needs and activities for the year. Our main activities will include; a quarterly newsletter with current pesticide education topics including 2 articles with quizzes worth a recertification credit, several recertification workshops for a wide variety of applicators, a full day Initial Certification workshop followed by the Core test, pesticide basics lectures for Master Gardeners and the general public, workshops and presentations in both classroom settings and hands-on environments and we will continue to maintain a UVM PESP website with training materials and recertification opportunities. The UVM PESP program director will attend the November 2011 Exam Writing workshop in Indiana with the VT SLA counterpart. We will rewrite and update the Vermont Core exam for commercial and private applicators. The UVM Pesticide program will provide reports with quantifiable impacts to NIFA National Program leaders responsible for PSEP.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The UVM Pesticide Education and Safety program (PESP) will inform and educate Vermont pesticide users about accepted uses and other pesticide regulations made under FIFRA. The UVM PESP will fulfill the objective of protecting human health and the environment by providing pesticide applicators (or applicator candidates) with the information necessary to safely and properly apply restricted use pesticides. Our training programs will consist of a variety of educational activities including classroom presentations, newsletters, web-based information, hands on training, printed factsheets and video based education. Our programs will focus on certified pesticide applicators, general use pesticide applicators and the general public. The UVM PESP will work closely with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture (SLA) to identify the pesticide education needs and activities for the year. Our activities will include workshops and presentations in both classroom settings and hands-on environments. We will develop and update training and test materials, develop and coordinate recertification education programs, offer initial certification workshops, and inform Vermont pesticide applicators of programs and materials through our joint newsletter and the UVM PESP website.
Project Methods
The UVM Pesticide Education and Safety Program will continue to work closely with the Vermont State Lead Agency to develop and offer a multi faceted approach for pesticide education for certified pesticide applicators, non-certified pesticide applicators and the general public. The UVM PESP will deliver pesticide education through newsletters, website materials, printed factsheets, hands on trainings and classroom education. The UVM PESP, with the SLA, will continue to publish a quarterly newsletter for all certified pesticide applicators in the state. This newsletter covers all aspects of pesticide safety, new pesticide chemistries, new developments in State and Federal regulations and 2 topics on pesticide safety, each with a quiz that can be filled out for a pesticide recertification credit. UVM will offer recertification education programs for several different commodity groups in the state including applicators for Field and Forages, Vermont Vegetable and Berry Growers Association, VT Landscape Association and Vermont Apple Producers. These workshops will be offered as both winter classroom meetings and summer field meetings. UVM PESP will continue to offer a one day workshop for Initial Certification covering the materials necessary for the Core pesticide applicators license. Following the 5 hour information session we will offer the Core exam for the 50-60 attendees. This workshop attracts potential commercial and private applicators from schools, pest exterminator companies, landscape and nursery workers and vegetable and berry growers. UVM will continue to maintain and update a pesticide education and safety website with current educational materials, power point trainings covering the Core manual, archived newsletters and quizzes and recertification opportunities. The UVM Pesticide Education and Safety program will continue to provide pesticide education to the general public through Master Gardener lectures (225 attendees each winter learn about pesticide basics and safety information), extension television programs and gardener workshops and talks. In November 2011, my SLA counterpart and I will be attending the Exam Writing Workshop in Indianapolis, Indiana. After the training, we will rewrite the Vermont exams for the Core test for commercial and private applicators. The UVM Pesticide Education program will provide copies of annual reports, as requested, to the NIFA National Program leader responsible for PSEP. These reports will include quantifiable impacts which may include multi-state and/or multi-year efforts.