1. Using Research to Design and Evaluate Pesticide Dealer Training Wayne Buhler, Ph.D. Pesticide Education Specialist Department of Horticultural Science NC State University http://jpse.org/v5.html

2. A Pesticide Dealer… “…any person who is engaged in the business of distributing, selling, or offering for sale restricted-use pesticides directly to end users” (NC Pesticide Law of 1971). Certified and licensed by NCDA&CS Possessed by the individual, not dealership Dealership must employ, or be owned, by a licensed dealer

3. Why Provide Dealer Training? Principal source of pest/pesticide management information Readily accessible to pesticide users Familiar with their products, their customers, and local production practices

4. Survey Undertaken in January 2001 Coordinated by NC CES and NCDA&CS 8 page survey mailed to all 794 dealers 400 were returned = 50% response rate Dealers who returned survey received 0.5 hr credit

5. Survey Objectives Characterize the dealer population Determine dealers’ needs for information Develop an agenda for dealer training (Dealer Day!)

6. Purpose of Dealer Day Provide up-to-date information on pesticide “handling” Increase dealers’ awareness of resources available to help themselves and their customers Respond to NC Dealer Survey

7. Figure 1. Regions Represented % of respondents in each region

8. Figure 3. Primary Industry Served % of respondents in each region

9. Figure 5. Years of Experience % of respondents in each region

10. Figure 6. Age of Respondent % of respondents in each region

11. Figure 7. Level of Education Completed % of respondents in each region

12. Figure 9. Organizational Type % of respondents in each region

13. Figure 10. Number of Outlets in NC % of respondents in each region

14. Figure 22. Products Sold % of respondents

15. Figure 23. Value-Added Services Offered % of respondents

16. Figure 25. Technologies Used in the Organization % of respondents

17. Figure 26. Use of the Internet % of respondents

18. Figure 29. Usefulness of Information: Written Material % of respondents

19. Figure 32. Usefulness of Information: Websites % of respondents

20. The key sources of pesticide information were the NC Agricultural Chemical Manual and NCSU Extension Agents/Specialists. Regulatory and label changes were obtained almost equally from manufacturers, regulatory agencies and distributors. However, those who used NCDA&CS were the most satisfied with the information they had available about regulatory and label changes.

21. Figure 53. Effectiveness of Different Training Formats % of respondents

22. When asked about the length, time and location of training, the majority of dealers preferred a program that was one day or less in length and held on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday in January or February.

23. Figure 66. Pesticide-Related Topics Desired in Training Programs % of respondents

24. Figure 67. Pesticide-Related Topics Wanted Accessible in Written Material % of respondents

25. 51% of dealers indicated that “Take Home Reference Material” was important.

26. Dealer Day Agenda (single day) What Inspectors Expect Navigating the Dealer Website Preventing Indoor Use of Ag Pesticides Labeling and Registration (Sec. 18 and 24c) Environmental Stewardship for Dealers Transporting Pesticides Pesticide Security Pesticide Container Recycling Program New Designs in Packaging

27. Dealer Day Five regional, one-day events Tues., Wed., Thurs. in late Jan./early Feb. 5 hrs license credit, plus CEUs for CCA $20 registration fee (manual, lunch, & breaks) Support from EPA and Ag Chemical Industry

28. Program Evaluation 151 attendees at the 5 programs Pre- and Post-Training Evaluations Reasons for attending: 1. credits, 2. topics Overall rating = 4.3 Top rated session: “What Inspectors Expect” “When will you offer another ‘Dealer Day’?”

29. http://ipm.ncsu.edu/agdealers/

30. Using Research to Design and Evaluate Pesticide Dealer Training http://ipm.ncsu.edu/pesticidesafety http://jpse.org/v5.html