The fundamental goal of the Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) program is to develop educational programs for applicators that promote pesticide safety and risk management. This relates to CSREES Goal 4 which is to achieve greater harmony between agriculture and the environment.

PSEP programs on safe and environmentally sound methods of application educate all types of applicators who use pesticides.

The PSEP program effectively links researchers and governmental regulatory agencies to a national network of state and territory Extension land-grant university professionals who develop and conduct educational certification programs for private and commercial pesticide applicators. The program also addresses pesticide issues of interest to the general public.

Currently, several hundred thousand pesticide applicators are certified through PSEP every year and another several million attend educational programs on pesticide safety. National leadership and coordination of the PSEP program is provided by Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES). Federal funds to support state / territory PSEP programs are provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and are distributed by CSREES through a formula-based allocation to 57 states and territories.