1999 Integrated Pest Management Annual Report

Pesticide Applicator Training

Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) educates 45,000 commercial and private applicators during each three-year licensing cycle.

During each three-year licensing cycle, 22,000 farmers and other private applicators are trained. Based on surveyed samples of this group, 91 percent adopt pesticide-safety practices as a result of the training sessions.

Commercial pesticide operators and applicators are trained by 20 campus-based and off-campus Extension staff members from various disciplines. The 32 annual clinics are attended by 23,000 commercial operators and applicators over each three-year licensing cycle. Surveys show that 93.9 percent of attendees adopt pesticide-safety practices as a result of the training sessions. In-depth category training (for applicators) covers cultural controls, pest identification, and correct and timely pesticide application where appropriate. Category training is provided in the areas of field crops, grain facility, seed treatment, demonstration and research, rights-of-way, turf, ornamentals, plant management (interiorscapes), and mosquito control.

In addition to training the persons being licensed to apply pesticides, the Pesticide Applicator Training Team provides pesticide-safety information to the public through news releases, a bi-monthly newsletter (Illinois Pesticide Review), fact sheets, displays at the Illinois State Fair and other venues, as well as (indirectly) through the Master Gardener Program. To learn more about this program, visit the Pesticide Safety Education Website.

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