National Pesticide Safety Education Month Provides Important Opportunities to Promote Safe Use

The second annual National Pesticide Safety Education Month gets underway February 1^st, to reinforce core principles of safe handling and use and to raise awareness of and support for the land-grant university Pesticide Safety Education Programs (PSEPs).

“PSEPs and their partners in Extension play the key role in public-sector education of certified applicators and the general public,” says Frannie Miller, Kansas PSEP. “County agents are often a major partner in advancing PSEP educational curriculum with private applicators who apply restricted-use and general pesticides,” adds Kim Brown, Louisiana PSEP. 

“Most safe use principles taught to certify and re-certify pesticide applicators apply to pesticide products used on the farm, ranch and around the home,” notes Mike Wierda, Utah PSEP. "Integrated Pest Management programs depend on the information provided by pesticide safety education to ensure that critical consideration is given to human and environmental health when incorporating chemical controls,” concludes Kerry Bernard, Maine PSEP.

Visit the National Pesticide Safety Education Month webpage to review basic pesticide safety principles and more. Everyone is invited to share the link with others to promote safe use of pesticides and your state’s Pesticide Safety Education Program.