Communicating science to the public at the National Pesticide Information Center

The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) is a cooperative agreement between Oregon State University and the US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pesticide Programs. NPIC, housed in the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology since 1995, provides objective, science-based information on pesticides at an educational level accessible to the public. While NPIC provides information through a variety of methods – web, social media, etc. – one-on-one conversations are most impactful as specialists are able to provide scientific information that is relevant to a caller’s specific situation. Online risk communication methods will be described, including web content, videos, comics, and infographics. Food safety communication methods will be presented, including pesticides and food safety, food and drinking water limits for pesticides, pesticide residues in food, as well as Frequently Asked Questions and associated videos for “How can I wash pesticides from fruit and veggies?”, and “What does it mean when food is organic?” In addition, examples of social media posts and NPIC model responses to questions from the public, such as “Should I buy organic or conventional?” and “How do I wash pesticide residues from food?” will be presented to demonstrate key elements of NPIC public communication methods and strategies.