Hardin County Extension News Release
For Further Information Contact:
Mark Badertscher
Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator Phone – 419-674-2297
E-Mail – badertscher.4@osu.edu
For Immediate Release –January 2, 2014
Pesticide Recertification Training
Hardin County – Some farmers are now receiving a notice that informs them that their current pesticide applicator license will expire at the end of March 2014 and that they must complete their continuing education hours to renew before this date. The cost of renewal has increased since the last time and it will now cost $65. Thirty dollars is sent to the Ohio Department of Agriculture for the license itself and $35 to OSU Extension for the 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 use or general use. Restricted use products may be organic or traditional pesticides. To obtain a private applicator license, a farmer 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, such as Core Information, Grain and Cereal Crops, Forage Crops and Livestock, Fruit and Vegetable Crops, Nursery and Forage Crops, Greenhouse Crops, and Fumigation.
A license must be renewed every three years by completing three hours of continuing education. 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 will offer recertification programs early this year to fulfill the three hours of continuing education requirement for license renewal.
Hardin County Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) programs will be offered March 13 at Henry’s Restaurant in Kenton. The first session will begin at 9:00 am and the second
session will begin at 2:00 pm. These sessions are for private applicators and will consist of Core Information, Grain and Cereal Crops, Forage Crops and Livestock, and Fumigation. Farmers must pre-register online at http://pested.osu.edu or pick up a registration form to mail in from the Extension Office at 1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103 in Kenton. Further information regarding certification in other areas can be obtained by calling the Extension office at 419-674-2297.
Training dates for Commercial Pesticide Applicators can be found at http://pested.osu.edu/commrecert.html. Training dates for Private Pesticide Applicators in other counties in northwestern Ohio may be found at the following address: http://pested.osu.edu/privaterecert.html. The commercial and private applicator licenses are another way that commercial pesticide applicators and farmers show good stewardship in caring for our land and raising our food.
For more information about OSU Extension, Hardin County, visit the Hardin County OSU Extension web site at www.hardin.osu.edu, or the Hardin County OSU Extension Facebook page.