Pesticide & Fertilizer Recertification Training

Hardin County – Some farmers have received a notice that informs them that their current pesticide and/or fertilizer applicator licenses will expire at the end of March 2023 and that they must complete their continuing education hours to renew before this date. Thirty dollars is sent to the Ohio Department of Agriculture in Reynoldsburg to renew the license and $35 to OSU Extension for the pesticide continuing education requirement. If fertilizer recertification is needed, the cost to OSU Extension is $10 for the fertilizer continuing education requirement.

Farmers must have a private applicator license to apply restricted use pesticides on their farm or for an employer’s crops. A commercial license is required for individuals who apply products on fields other than their own or as a business. The Environmental Protection Agency determines whether a product is designated restricted or general use. Restricted use products may be organic or traditional pesticides.

To obtain a private pesticide applicator license, farmers must pass a series of exams that test their competency in pesticide safety and application knowledge. They also must be certified in one or more of seven categories in addition to Core knowledge. These categories include Grain and Cereal Crops, Forage Crops and Livestock, Fruit and Vegetable Crops, Nursery and Forest Crops, Greenhouse Crops, Fumigation, and Specialty Uses.

Farmers must have a private fertilizer applicator license if they apply fertilizer on 50 or more acres of crops grown for sale. This does not include crops that are used on the farm for their livestock or fertilizer used through the planter. It does include fertilizer applied in the fall, pre-plant, or side dressing. If fertilizer is applied by a commercial applicator, the farmer does not need to have fertilizer certification. Like pesticide applications, there must be record keeping of fertilizer applied to the farmer’s crops that can be requested by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. If an applicator does not have a fertilizer license and needs one, they can attend a three-hour training to become certified or study the fertilizer manual and take a test on their own.

A license must be renewed every three years. A farmer can meet this requirement by completing three hours of approved pesticide continuing education anytime during the three year period and one hour of fertilizer continuing education during the same three year period. Recertification training emphasizes effective management strategies that enhance crop productivity, encourage responsible use of products, and promote safe practices for applicators, the public, and the environment. OSU Extension offices are currently offering recertification programs to fulfill the three hours of the pesticide continuing education requirement and additional one hour of the fertilizer continuing education requirement for license renewal. An applicator may also choose to retest every three years to renew a private pesticide or fertilizer license in place of recertification training.

Hardin County Pesticide and Fertilizer Recertification programs will be offered Monday, March 6 at the Plaza Inn Restaurant in Mt. Victory. The pesticide recertification session will begin at 9:00 am and end at 12:00 pm. This session is for private applicators and will consist of Core, Grain and Cereal Crops, Forage Crops and Livestock, and Fumigation. A lunch option will be made available at the Plaza Inn Restaurant for additional cost. The fertilizer recertification will start at 1:00 pm and end at 2:00 pm. Farmers need to call the Extension office at 419-674-2297, or stop by at 1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103 in Kenton to pre-register. An option to pre-register online is available at https://go.osu.edu/HardinPAT-FACT. Further information regarding make-up or specialty recertification in other areas can be obtained by contacting the Extension office by March 24.

Both pesticide and fertilizer recertification for make-up and/or specialty categories will be offered on March 28, from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm at the Extension office in Kenton. Pre-registration is required by calling the Hardin County Extension office. Be sure to include pesticide categories needed and whether fertilizer recertification is needed. On March 28, pesticide recertification will begin at 9:00 am for three hours, followed by an hour of fertilizer recertification at 1:00 pm. Seating is limited to 25 people at the Extension office.

Training dates for commercial pesticide applicators can be found at http://pested.osu.edu/commercialapplicator. Training dates for Private Pesticide Applicators for other counties in Ohio may be found at http://pested.osu.edu/privateapplicator. The commercial and private applicator licenses are a way that commercial pesticide applicators and farmers show good stewardship in caring for our land and producing our food in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner.

Beef Quality Assurance Training

Hardin County – Join Hardin County OSU Extension for a Beef Quality Assurance certification training scheduled for Tuesday, February 28 from 6:30-8:00 pm at the Extension office located at 1021 W Lima Street in Kenton. Beef Quality Assurance training is for beef cattle producers, needing to recertify or certify to sell cattle at auctions and other markets. Many of the major beef processors, auctions, and other markets began requiring producers to have a BQA certificate at the beginning of 2019. Beef Quality Assurance certification is for a period of three years and was previously held in Kenton in December 2018, February 2021 and May 2022. Several local producers need to recertify in addition to any cattle producers who need to gain BQA certification for the first time.

Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) does more than just help beef producers capture more value from their market cattle. BQA also reflects a positive public image and instills consumer confidence in the beef industry. When producers implement the best management practices of a BQA program, they assure their market steers, heifers, cows, and bulls are the best they can be. Today, the stakes are even higher because of increased public attention on animal welfare. BQA is valuable to all beef and dairy producers because it demonstrates commitment to food safety and quality; safeguards the public image of the beef industry; upholds consumer confidence in valuable beef products; and improves the sale value of marketed beef cattle.

Training enhances herd profitability through better management. Ohio State University Extension, in cooperation with the Ohio Beef Council, the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, and Ohio’s cattle auction markets, is working to offer Ohio’s cattle producers several opportunities to become Beef Quality Assurance Certified. Certification can also take place online at https://www.bqa.org. Register for this Kenton training at https://go.osu.edu/HardinBQA or call 419-674-2297. Registration is required and space is limited for this local no cost in-person training that is good for both initial BQA certification or recertification.

Spring Garden Seminar

Hardin County – This week’s warm weather has reminded us that work in the spring garden is coming. Believe it or not, spring is around the corner and so is the OSU Extension spring garden seminar. “Something Old, New, Tried & True in the Garden” is the planned seminar being offered by the Hardin County OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers this year. Get your seat reserved while you can. Plenty of topics are on the agenda for this event which will get your thoughts turned to gardening and away from the cold weather that has been with us for the past few months.

This year’s spring garden seminar will feature four expert speakers. Nora Hiland will speak on ‘Exotic Invasive Plants.’ What are they? Why are they a problem? Rapid growth, high productivity rates, and lack of natural controls have helped non-natives displace native species. Why are some of your favorite landscape plants a problem in natural areas? Nora Hiland earned a B.S. in Ornamental Horticulture from California State University in Fresno. She worked as a research assistant in horticulture then earned a teaching degree and taught biology and general science in grades 7-12. She has been a Master Gardener in Delaware County since 2009 and a member of Ohio Invasive Plants Council since 2005.

Timothy McDermott’s presentation will focus on ‘What is Compost.’ It is the soil amendment of choice to improve soils with organic matter. Learn about the composting process, what nutrients are present in compost, and how you can build your own compost pile to maximize your harvest. Timothy McDermott, DVM, is an OSU Assistant Professor and has been an Extension Educator in Agriculture and Natural Resources for the past seven years. He lectures locally as well as internationally on Local Food Systems and Veterinary Sciences where he spent 20 years in private practice.

‘Planting Container Gardens’ will be the topic discussed by Candi Scheiderer. Gardening in smaller spaces and with less time. Instant results to achieve plant color around your home and garden. Easily change containers for each season. What containers to use, what plants to choose, how to put together complementary color schemes, and what to use for filler and interest. Candi Scheiderer has always loved making someone’s day. From her career as a critical care nurse to her life as co-owner of Scheiderer Farms, Candi finds that nurturing, whether it’s people or plants, is the common thread to having a joyful life.

Bradley Allen will speak on ‘Growing Hydrangeas.’ Learn about all the different types of hydrangeas, including new varieties. How and when to prune, how to turn flowers blue, the planting, care, pests/diseases, folklore, and breeding of hydrangeas. Bradley Allen found a home in the world of plants in the last 5 years. He earned a degree in Landscape & Turf Management from Owens Community College. He got a job at North Branch Nursery as a laborer before being asked to be an assistant grower with a short-term goal of becoming head grower. Life took on a whole new meaning while battling cancer in 2022. Plants remain his major focus.

“Something Old, New, Tried & True in the Garden” will be held March 9 at the Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative Community Room, 1210 W Lima Street in Kenton. The seminar is open to the public, no matter how much gardening experience you have. The cost is $50, which includes a continental breakfast, lunch, handouts, and door prizes. For active OSU Master Gardener Volunteers, the fee is $40. Doors open on the day of the event at 8:15 am, the program starts at 9:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm. The registration deadline is February 23 with a limited class size. For more information about this event, call Kim Thomas 419-674-8012.

February 6, 2023

Good afternoon,

There’s been a whirlwind of Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension programs happening in the area so I thought I better get out another email to let you know what is coming up in the near future so you don’t miss an opportunity. Allen County OSU Extension has a new AgNR Educator by the name of Nic Baumer and he has an Allen County Ag Outlook and Agronomy Day coming up tomorrow at the Allen County Fairgrounds starting at 9:00 am. See the attached flyer for more details if you plan to make the trip to Lima. This coming Thursday, February 9 is the next Conservation Tillage Club breakfast with Dr. Pierce Paul speaking on Corn Diseases. I asked him to address tar spot and ear rots since we have had issues locally with tar spot the past two years and vomitoxin the past few years. I have attached a flyer with more information about this breakfast series at the Plaza Inn Restaurant which will wrap up on February 23 with the topic of Farm Bill Programs.

Allen County Ag Outlook and Agronomy Day Flyer

Conservation Tillage Club Flyer

Next Friday, February 10 will be another busy day as we have a Cover Crop Management Seminar planned at the Plaza Inn Restaurant in Mt. Victory from 9:00 am-12:00 pm with a complimentary lunch. See the attached article and flyer for registration information.  Then starting at 1:00 pm the same day, we have an Agricultural Fertilizer Certification Class for anyone who needs to get their fertilizer certification for the first time. This will be held at the Extension office in Kenton. If you would like to register, see the attached news release and flyer. We have extended the registration period for both of these events.

Cover Crops Management Seminar News Release

Cover Crop Management Flyer

Fertilizer Certification News Release

Fertilizer Certification Flyer

We are offering a combined self-paced online and face-to-face Master Gardener Volunteer Training Course starting February 13 here at the Extension office in Kenton for anyone who might be interested in becoming an OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer. See the attached brochure to learn more about this Hardin County group of volunteers. We can still enroll people in this course if you know someone interested in gardening who would like to help out with horticulture programs in the community. It is also the beginning of the winter livestock banquet season with the February 18 Horse Banquet being the first of six livestock banquets planned in the county. This banquet will be at the Kenton Moose Family Center. See the attached news release for information about this event and how you can reserve a ticket.

ABOUT MGV PROGRAM_Hardin

Horse Banquet News Release

If you are interested in reading more OSU Extension newsletters, go to https://hardin.osu.edu/program-areas/agriculture-and-natural-resources/agnr-newsletters to find the Northwest Ohio ANR Newsletter 2023 along with several other good sources of information. Ohio Custom Rates and Machinery Costs can be found at https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farm-management/custom-rates-and-machinery-costs and upcoming Farm Office Live webinars can be found at https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farmofficelive. As before, I have provided additional Ag Crops articles below.

 

Mark

 

Sampling Corn Grain for Vomitoxin – Pierce Paul

Moldy grain and vomitoxin levels vary considerably within the grain lot. This is largely because the number of ears infected with Gibberella zeae, the fungus that causes Gibberella ear rot and produces vomitoxin in the grain, and number of infected kernels on a given ear within a field are highly variable. In addition, ears, and kernels with a similar appearance in terms of surface moldiness may have vastly different levels of internal fungal colonization, and consequently, different levels of vomitoxin contamination. Find additional information about sampling for vomitoxin in corn at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-03/sampling-corn-grain-vomitoxin.

 

Cover Crop Management Seminar – Mark Badertscher

Cody Beacom and Jim Hoorman are the headline speakers for a Cover Crop Management three-hour morning program presented by the Ohio No-Till Council, Hardin County OSU Extension, and The Nature Conservancy. The event will be held at the Plaza Inn Restaurant, 491 S Main Street, Mt. Victory, starting at 9:00 am on Friday, February 10. Coffee and cake will be provided by Wingfield Crop Insurance Service starting at 8:30 am. Cody Beacom, Bird Agronomics, will explain the basics of cover crops, from the selection of the best mix for summer or fall seeding to managing in the spring, whether using a burndown herbicide, “planting green”, or using a roller crimper. Find out more about this upcoming seminar at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-03/cover-crop-management-seminar.

 

Virtual Corn College and Soybean School – Laura Lindsey, Amanda Douridas, Taylor Dill

Due to popular demand, the AgCrops Team will host the 3rd annual virtual Corn College and Soybean School on February 10, 2023 from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM featuring your OSU Extension state specialists and soil fertility guest speaker, Dr. Kurt Steinke, from Michigan State University. CCA CEUs will be available during the live presentations. To register, please go to: go.osu.edu/cornsoy.  Please register by February 9 at noon. There is a $10 registration fee for this event, which goes directly to support OSU AgCrops Team activities. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-03/redminder-join-us-3rd-annual-virtual-corn-college-and-soybean.

 

Northwest Ohio Agronomy Day – Alan Leininger

Henry County will be hosting the 2023 Northwest Ohio Agronomy Crops Day on February 8th, 2023. This year’s event will feature Dr. Pierce Paul, Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Plant Pathology at the Ohio State University. He will be presenting on the topic of Development and Management of Ear Rots, Mycotoxins, and Tar Spot. Also featured is Dr. Laura Lindsay, Associate Professor in the Department of Horticulture & Crop Science at Ohio State University. She will be presenting the topic of Soybean Planting Date and Management Interactions. Aaron Wilson, Assistant Professor, Ag Weather and Climate Field Specialist for Ohio State University Extension & State Climatologist of Ohio will present an Agricultural Weather & Climate Update. Finish this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-03/northwest-ohio-agronomy-day.

 

Hot Topics in Grain Crops Series – Ed Lentz

The Ohio State University Extension – Hancock County office will be offering its Hot Topics in Grain Crops Series over three evenings in February and March at the Hancock County Agricultural Service Center, 7868 CR 140, Findlay, OH 45840. Each meeting will cover one specific crop – wheat, corn, and soybean. Local research results and a discussion on upcoming production issues will be presented at the meeting. There will also be a Question-and-Answer period to address any issue concerning that crop which was not part of the presentation. The programs will be led by Dr. Edwin Lentz, who has a doctorate in Crop Management and Physiology and has been providing agronomic expertise to Ohio farmers for over 30 years. Programs are free but please register by calling the Hancock County Extension office, 419-422-3851 or email lentz.38@osu.edu at least one day before the program. See more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-03/hot-topics-grain-crops-series.

 

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-767-6037

hardin.osu.edu