CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 01/31/18

National Pesticide Safety Education Month launched to promote safe pesticide use

By Christina Conner

Hundreds of people get sick each year from inappropriate pesticide use, but those who don’t deal with pesticides daily may not think about it very often.

Pesticides are used in homes, workplaces, apartments, farms and other places where humans need to control pests such as weeds, insects, fungi, rodents and even viruses. Of the 11 states participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) pesticide safety program, workers reported 853 serious injuries from pesticides in 2011, according to the CDC.

During National Pesticide Safety Education Month this February, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension personnel urge homeowners, and all Georgians, to learn more about the safe use, storage and disposal of pesticides. Land-grant universities across the nation provide programs to educate both public and private sector groups about pesticide safety.

“Pesticide safety education is key to helping pesticide applicators, both commercial and agricultural, safely and effectively use available pesticides to protect their crops and livelihoods,” said Mickey Taylor, UGA Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) coordinator. “At the same time, they want to protect themselves, their employees and colleagues from any potential ill effects of pesticide use in addition to protecting their families and neighbors. As good stewards of the land, (they want to) preserve our environment for the future.”

This year, the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), the American Phytopathological Society (APS) and the Entomological Society of America (ESA) have joined forces to highlight pesticide safety education programs and to teach pesticide safety to the public during the collaboration’s inaugural National Pesticide Safety Education Month.

UGA Extension’s PSEP promotes the safe, responsible use of pesticides by individuals and commercial groups by providing training programs, materials and educational resources covering pest identification, personal safety, safe storage and disposal of pesticides, environmental protection, pesticide drift and runoff prevention, threatened and endangered species protection, water quality protection, and food safety.

“Georgia’s PSEP offers online training modules covering core pesticide safety topics for agricultural producers seeking private applicator licenses, and core and some category study guides for commercial applicators of pesticides,” Taylor said. “In addition, recertification classes are offered in requesting counties around Georgia, as well as regional training classes that offer re-certification credit hours.”

PSEP also offers an online training course, the Georgia Competent Applications of Pesticides Program, that teaches basic pesticide safety to homeowners, public service employees and public volunteers, like Master Gardener Extension Volunteers, according to Taylor.

“This allows anyone in Georgia who might want to learn about the proper and safe use of pesticides to do so from the comfort of their own living room,” Taylor said.

Taylor is the editor of UGA Extension’s “Georgia Pest Management Handbook,” which is revised and published annually. Copies of the handbook are provided to all UGA Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources agents and are sold to crop advisers, chemical distribution companies and to the general public throughout the Southeast.

More information about UGA Extension’s pesticide safety resources can be found at www.extension.uga.edu/programs-services/pesticide-safety-education.

Authors:
Christina Conner
Experts/Sources:
Milton D. (Mickey) Taylor
During National Pesticide Safety Education Month this February, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension personnel urge homeowners, and all Georgians, to learn more about the safe use, storage and disposal of pesticides. Land-grant universities across the nation provide programs to educate both public and private sector groups about pesticide safety.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
SLF2 CAES News
Spotting trouble: How Georgians can help combat spotted lanternfly 12/24/24 Emily Cabrera
Native to several Asian countries, the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) was first detected in the United States in 2014 in Pennsylvania, likely arriving via imported goods. Since its arrival, the pest has spread to 15 states in the Eastern U.S., now including Georgia. While they do not bite or sting humans or animals, University of Georgia experts stress that early detection, prevention strategies and timely interventions are crucial to minimizing the spread and impact of this pest on a variety of plants.
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
Janiver in sunflower field AI web CAES News
A larger-than-life legacy: CAES student’s contagious enthusiasm inspired others 12/17/24 Jordan Powers
When Miriam Edelkind-Vealey applied for a summer role at a University of Georgia pollinator biodiversity lab in 2020, the junior undergrad didn’t quite know what to expect. After being told she got the position, Edelkind-Vealy didn’t hear anything for a few weeks. It was only then that she learned a collaborator on the project, second-year master’s degree student Amy Joy Janvier, had passed away.
At the 2024 Georgia Life Sciences Summit held Oct. 21-22 in Atlanta, Professor Quingguo “Jack” Huang of the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences received the Golden Helix Innovation Award for his research in technologies to mitigate “forever chemicals” in water resources. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker) CAES News
Nothing lasts forever: CAES professor finds solutions to break down ‘forever chemicals’ 12/05/24 Carson McAfee
University of Georgia Professor Qingguo “Jack” Huang always wanted to do one thing: solve problems. Growing up in a small city in central China, Huang’s favorite subject in elementary school was math, granting him the opportunity to work on many problems. In high school, his passion transitioned to science, where he learned he could feed those same interests in a way that benefited others. He was finishing high school in the 1980s when Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring made its way to Chinese newspapers, capturing Huang’s attention.
Georgia Simmons at the office of U.S. Sen. Warnock CAES News
Georgia 4-H alum, CAES student spends semester serving at the nation's Capitol 12/03/24 Josie Smith, Cooper Hardy
Third-year University of Georgia student and Banks County 4-H alum Georgia Simmons has been in the center of the political action this fall with the Georgia 4-H Washington DC Intern Program. Simmons, an environmental resource science major in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, works in the office of U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock. As an intern on his staff, she interacts directly with policy experts and lawmakers, participating in the legislative process while earning a semester of credit hours.
Longtime faculty member George Vellidis was named the first permanent director of the Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture. IIPA was launched in 2022 and has grown to include more than 70 faculty members. (Photo by Paul Privette for UGA CAES) CAES News
Vellidis named director of Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture 12/02/24 David Mitchell
University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Professor George Vellidis has been named director of the Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture (IIPA). His term began on Nov. 1, and he will serve as the unit’s first permanent director. “Dr. Vellidis has been a vital member of our UGA faculty for years and played a key role in launching IIPA,” said Chris King, interim vice president for research. “Whether it’s his impact as a first-class researcher and educator or the work he does behind the scenes to elevate our reputation in the field abroad, his presence has made UGA a hub for precision agriculture research.”