Purdue Pesticide Programs reorganization will focus on enhanced outreach

A reorganization of the Purdue Pesticide Programs (PPP) will enhance outreach to producers, applicators, agribusiness professionals and the general public with a renewed emphasis on educational programming, according to program administrator Fred Whitford.

“We’re grateful that Cheri Janssen and Cindy Myers on our team have agreed to take on new responsibilities and excited to welcome Jeff Stouppe as e-learning coordinator,” Whitford said. “These changes are part of our continuing effort to utilize the latest in educational strategies and communication technologies to support Indiana’s critical agricultural industry and help safeguard our crops, fields, wildlife and waterways.”

Whitford will continue to write Extension publications and manage outreach activities.

As curriculum development specialist, Janssen will be responsible for planning programs and delivering training for initial certification of private and commercial applicators. She will also manage a statewide program to assist farmers in meeting their education requirements for pesticide and fertilizer certification renewal.

Myers will be responsible for overseeing more than 32 workshops, conferences and special events each year serving more than 2,000 participants seeking pesticide certification. She also manages PPP’s presence on the web and social media and assists with the Private Applicator Recertification Program (PARP), which serves more than 12,000 Indiana producers.

Stouppe begins his new position July 24. He brings more than 15 years of experience as an instructional systems designer to the Purdue Pesticide Programs, where he will be responsible for developing and implementing distance learning strategies such as webinars for PPP courses, workshops, publications and manuals.

The Purdue Pesticide Programs, administered by Purdue Extension, are responsible for implementation of pesticide education outreach programs directed at pesticide user groups and the general public, coordination of pesticide research and pesticide impact assessment projects between Agricultural Experiment Station researchers and Purdue Extension specialists, and transmitting regulatory information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Indiana State Chemist to the regulated community and other interested parties.

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