Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: The Pesticide Management Education program is a key part of the extension program of Cornell University, the only land grant institution in NY State. The mission of Cornell’s extension program is to be responsive to needs in New York communities and enable people to improve their lives and communities through partnerships that put experience and research knowledge to work. PMEP is uniquely qualified to provide pesticide information, training, certification materials and educational programs to the citizens of NY State. This is accomplished in cooperation with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, which is the state’s lead agency responsible for establishing of training and certification of pesticide applicators. Changes/Problems: Funding for this program is grossly inadequate. Providing science based information and training to the 13 million people and 28 thousand professional pesticide applicators in New York requires the funding commitment of both the federal and state governments. Until this becomes a political reality we all will languish with the mediocre patch work training and extension program that we are forced to offer. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? 2012 Northeast C&T Workshop Dates: September 11, 12 and 13 2012 Location: Saratoga Springs, New York Meeting site: HamptoTopics, talks, and tour stops for the 2012 Northeast C&T meeting in Saratoga Springs, New York. Topic/speaker Notes Pesticides and Honey Bees- Risks and Benefits from field application to Varroa mite to Colony Collapse Disorder, What about Imadicloprid and all the neonicotinoids and new registrations? – Nick Calderon speaker. WPS and PPE Issues Proper interpretation policies ect. This session will address information on PPE selection and use important to PSEPs & SLAs. The pesticide product label lists the minimum clothing and PPE that a person must wear while performing any handling or early-entry activities. Properly selecting and using PPE reduces the risk of pesticide exposure; but, it does not eliminate it. Pat Hipkins speaker. Urban Pesticide Use by commercial applicators, handling Pesticides in the Urban Environment: Stories from the Hood. speaker The Impacts of Public Perceptions on Pesticide Laws/Regulations at the State Level. Mary Roy, NY DEC + partner from Conn. speakers Communicating pesticide information to people in a vortex of ….. Fred Whitford speaker Label statements the confuse and confound the applicator. Mike Helms and DEC partner speakers. Pesticides in ground water, what is being found and what does the data mean? Steven Pacenka or Anthony Salvucci speakers. Maybe a DEC partner Kevin Roberts? Update from EPA. Kevin Keeny Update from USDA. Dr. Mary Purcell Update from NASDA. Carol Ramsay Update from AAPSE. Andrew Thostenson Northeast AAPSE Business meeting. Tour of fruit grower’s facility to look at items such as IPM strategies, WPS compliance, mixing/loading/storage facilities, issues with agricultural pesticide use near urban areas. Harvey Reissig to arrange. Public Housing Association tour, a look at an IPM program in multifamily dwellings. Tour Guide: Allison Taisey, NE IPM Program Tour of a high-tunnel growth facility. Would discuss issues such as implications for WPS, pesticide use/labeling, and pest management. Jud Reid, Cornell Vegetable Program; Molly Shaw, South Central NY Ag Team Hamton Inn & Suites, Saratoga Springs Downtown How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Approximately, 1,705 New York applicators became certified in New York last year. Recertification training for certified pesticide applicators is an important part of PSE programming each year, approximately 3,000 courses were conducted. PMEP provides regional PSE support. The Northeast Core manual, written and distributed by PMEP; 1,555 used to certify out of state applicators. Several states (AZ,DC,MD, DE, FL, NM, CO, ME, MN,WV,VI.PU) that do not use the NE Core manual used 1351 of our category manuals to certify applicators in their state. The PMEP Distance Learning center hosted 17 courses during the reporting period and issued 335 recertification course completion certificates. Each course has a pre and posttest. Scores from the 335 courses, show an average knowledge improvement of 24 points. The largest improvement was noted in the courses for specific category topics, an average of 35 points. Core topic courses had the average pretest scores showing a good level of Core applicator knowledge prior to study, but still improved their scores 11 points on the post tests. The highest pre-test scores were achieved in the environmental courses such as Protecting Water from Pesticides, and Weather-wise Application, however in each case the students achieved higher post-test scores demonstrating knowledge gained.
Publications
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Wixted, Dan, 2013, Northeast Core Manual, 3rd Edition. Pesticide Management Education Program, Cornell University, 282pp.
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