Hello Avid Readers!
Have you wondered where to get information about pesticide licensing in Florida? If you are a county extension agent you may also wonder who can help you prepare for things like precertification training classes, pesticide testing, or continuing education unit classes. Well, have no fear because there are some scary good pesticide extension professionals at UF/IFAS! They are called PEET, and they are here to help you.
What is PEET?
UF/IFAS has gathered a group of extension professionals who excel in pesticide applicator certification. This group is the Pesticide Education Extension Team (PEET). They work closely with the PEsticide Information Office (PIO). These individuals have been selected because they have worked in pesticide certification and training for some time and know the ins and outs of the process. PEET members are in offices across the state and work in several different program areas. Some focus on agricultural categories such as private applicators who own and work on their own farms. Others work with Florida business owners managing general household pests or lawn and ornamental pests. Finally, there are others who work more with pests in our natural areas and aquatic systems.
Who is Part of PEET?
Each district of Florida has 2-3 PEET members. We are working on getting this list up on our website, but in the meantime here they are!
| District | Agent Name | |
| Northwest | Ethan Carter | ethancarter@ufl.edu |
| Julie McConnell | juliebmcconnell@ufl.edu | |
| Danielle Williams | dsprague@ufl.edu | |
| Northeast | Kevin Korus | kkorus@ufl.edu |
| Paulette Tomlinson | apt@ufl.edu | |
| Central | Norma Samuel | nsamuel@ufl.edu |
| Prissy Fletcher | pfletch@ufl.edu | |
| Southwest | Susan Haddock | szcrmchz@ufl.edu |
| Michelle Atkinson | michelleatkinson@ufl.edu | |
| Southeast | Frank Dowdle | fdowdle@ufl.edu |
| Bonnie Wells | bcwells@ufl.edu |
How can PEET Help Me?
They are the best people to reach out to if you are an agent yourself and getting into pesticide education. The PEET Team has been working toward generating materials for training. They also work toward making the testing process as smooth as possible. They are likely able to help you find existing materials and resources, and tell you what they have found to work the best as far as setting up classes and testing. If you are a pesticide applicator PEET can help you determine which category you should be certified in. If you are already certified they can help you find CEU classes and renew your license. Because PEET members work in such diverse areas they can also help Florida residents with questions about pesticide use.
Summary
UF/IFAS PEET and the Pesticide Information Office (PIO) do some scary good pesticide extension! If you are an extension professional, pesticide applicator, or Florida resident with questions or concerns about pesticides we are here to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at the PIO for information on precertification training classes, pesticide testing, or continuing education unit classes. If you are a county extension agent I hope you know someone in your area on PEET and that you will be more likely to reach out to them for support, advice, or collaboration on pesticide applicator training and certification.
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