Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Growers, landscapers, pest control operators, extension and university personnel, NJ DEP and DA personnel, all other types of applicators Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Green Industry and Pest Control Operators: Pesticide applications are often required as part of commercial pest management. State regulations require DEP-approved training to be licensed to apply pesticides in NJ. PSEP CORE certification and recertification programs enable professionals to safely and legally apply pesticides as part of their job. This programming enabled more than 8,600 persons to earn a living as commercial applicators. Veteran's Administration Program: Ten veterans completed the RCE Organic Landscape Maintenance Training program in 2012 which included 3 hours of instruction in pesticide safety and use. The veterans are responsible for managing the landscape of the VA Hospital in East Orange and minimizing pesticide use at the hospital. They also qualified for the DEP CORE pesticide exam. Growers: NJ regulations require that when pesticides are applied to an agricultural commodity, the applicator must be licensed with the DEP. New Jersey pesticide regulations are more stringent than Federal EPA. During the report period, PSEP provided regulatory outreach in State-specific requirements for private applicators. New Jersey's 1,700 licensed private applicators were empowered to comply and maintain their licenses. Master Gardeners: MGs assist RCE in its mission to deliver horticulture programs and information to the general public. Training in safe and legal use of pesticides is required curriculum for all MG trainees to become certified volunteers. During the report period, nearly 400 MGs trainees in 16 counties completed this required pesticide curriculum and fulfilled this part of their training. Currently-certified MGs that attended these sessions received continuing education credits to maintain their certification. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Online information, study guides and in-person talks at meeting and workshops. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Pesticide Control regulations require that private and commercial pesticide applicators become licensed by passing certification exams. During the report period, PSEP distributed 2,200 training manuals (CORE and 24 categories) to clientele via County Extension offices. A total of 116 private and 2,099 commercial pesticide applicators received training to take their certification exam. PSEP provided initial (6 in English, 3 bi-lingual) training courses to commercial applicators. To maintain licensing, applicators must earn a minimum of 24 recertification credits within 5 yrs. PSEP conducted recertification training at key NJ stakeholder meetings in collaboration with grower/green industry assns. This included CORE presentations at the NJ Ornamental Horticulture Symposium for Landscapers and Arborists, the 2012 Atlantic Coast Agricultural Convention and Trade Show farm safety session, NJ Landscape Assn. "NJ Plants Conference", South Jersey Landscape Conference & Nursery Growers Meeting, PCO & Health Officers Annual Program, Rutgers Turf Program Field Days, NJ Xmas Tree Growers Assn. Winter and Summer Conferences, North and Central Jersey Vegetable Growers Conferences, and the North Jersey Turf & Ornamentals Institute Conference. We also provided County-based CORE recertification programming at 9 Extension offices. PSEP continued to offer online CORE recertification course at www.recert.rutgers.edu. Approx. 2,200 private applicators and 13,330 commercial applicators were recertified during this report period. PSEP developed recertification course presentations on personal protective equipment (PPE) consistent with current standards, practices and manufacturer guidelines. We shared these new applicator outreach materials on PPE with PSEP and SLA programs of several states for implementation in their own state pesticide applicator training. PSEP collaborated with the Middlesex County Mosquito Commission to develop pesticide storage/spill training addressing both CORE and Clean Water Act training requirements. This was adapted and delivered to several hundred landscape professionals. PSEP provided applicator outreach to the 1,766 private and 8,639 commercial applicators licensed in NJ via publications, websites, and listserv postings to County Agents and trade assns. PSEP assessed existing RCE pesticide education fact sheets with current regulations and safety guidelines; dated fact sheets were removed. Accepted fact sheets were published at njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs. PSEP maintained websites for pesticide applicator training and School IPM (pestmanagement.rutgers.edu; and Farm Safety (njaes.rutgers.edu/farmsafety/). PSEP also delivered lectures in safe and legal use of pesticides to non-occupational pesticide users including health officers, veterans, and Master Gardener trainees for 16 County Extension volunteer programs. PSEP met with DEP and EPA Region 2 partners twice. It was agreed that PSEP should incorporate Worker Protection Standard regulations in its revision of the Private manual. Also PSEP reviewed and will use Cornell's revised Plant Agricultural Pest Control manual in NJ.
Publications
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