Are All These Rules Necessary? Extension Pesticide Programming with a Regulatory Purpose

Indiana's private applicator recertification program includes state-required, pesticide regulatory topics. This article explores the relationship between Indiana private applicators' dual attitudes towards pesticide handling practices and the pesticide regulations that mandate those practices. Newly recertified private applicators in northwest Indiana were surveyed by a mailed questionnaire. Respondents valued responsible pesticide management practices, but were collectively undecided about regulatory oversight of their pesticide handling activities. These results suggest that Extension pesticide safety educators involved in compliance education may improve their training curriculum by including material on the underlying benefits, personal and social, of pesticide regulation.