Department of Horticultural Science

Horticulture Highlights - Spring 2003

The Pesticide Safety Education Program is a partnership between federal and state agencies to provide growers, applicators and the public with information and training on the proper, safe and effective use of pesticides. Training provided through Pesticide Safety Education Program primarily targets those applicators that use or supervise the use of restricted-use pesticides. A pesticide bears a restricted-use classification because it can cause adverse effects in the environment or to human health, if it is used incorrectly. North Carolina farmers, foresters, nurserymen, and greenhouse operators must be certified as private applicators under the North Carolina Pesticide Law if they use restricted-use pesticides to protect their crops. Under the same law, commercial applicators are required to become certified and licensed before they apply any pesticide (restricted- or general-use) to the property of another for financial compensation.

As the Pesticide Education Specialist, Dr. Wayne Buhler is responsible for developing and distributing educational materials that are used for the certification and re-certification (continuing education) of private applicators, commercial applicators, and dealers of restricted-use pesticides. A network of 98 county agents (County Pesticide Coordinators) implements the Pesticide Safety Education Program at the local level. Training provided within this framework enhances personal contact between certified pesticide applicators and staff of NC Cooperative Extension. The NC Pesticide Safety Education Program program provides training and continuing education for approximately 26,000 private and 13,000 commercial applicators.