Brooke Beam, PhD

Agriculture and Natural Resources/Community Development Extension Educator

Ohio State University Extension, Highland County

December 30, 2020

Pesticide and Fertilizer Recertification Deadline Extended

Governor DeWine signed Ohio House Bill 404 extending the commercial and private pesticide recertification and fertilizer recertification December 1, 2020 deadline to July 1, 2021.

What does this mean? Private pesticide and fertilizer applicators who expired in of March 2020, or are set to expire in March of 2021, now have until July 1, 2021 to renew and recertify.

Commercial applicators expiring in 2020 now have until July 1, 2021. The deadline for commercial applicators expiring in September 2021 is not changed by this bill.

OSU Extension and the Ohio Department of Agriculture worked together to offer an alternative online option. This option is a self-paced, online course. The original COVID extended deadline of December 1, 2020 has been extended to July 1, 2021. The self-paced online website is closed for maintenance and will reopen January 11, 2021. More information about the online course can be found below.

Licenses expiring March 31, 2021:

The deadline to complete your recertification credits has been extended to July 1, 2021. We will be offering multiple ways for you to recertify this year.

1. Self-paced Online Recertification course: Due to current health concerns, we encourage all that can complete their recertification online to do so this year. Thanks for your cooperation.
   1. This option allows you to enroll in an online course to participate in the online sessions beginning January 11, 2021.
   2. The time requirements remain the same: 3 hours for pesticide with 1 of those hours for Core, and an additional 1 hour for fertilizer. You DO NOT have to finish the course immediately after starting.
   3. For example, you can start the course on February 3 and finish on June 4. Just finish before the July 1 deadline.
   4. Your time spent in the course will be monitored, finishing in 1 hour will not satisfy the time requirements and you will be asked to return to finish the course.
   5. Costs: $35-private pesticide recertification and $15-Fertilizer recertification.
   6. Information and registration can be found at go.osu.edu/pest2021 and a tutorial can be found at go.osu.edu/recert21
2. Live Online Recertification Webinar: A statewide webinar is being planned. We do not have the date finalized, but the cost is $35 for private pesticide and $15 for fertilizer recertification. We will provide more information as soon as plans are complete.
3. In-person recertification meeting: OSU Extension Highland County is planning to offer an in-person meeting. However, due to the uncertainty of the coronavirus status, this meeting can be canceled or rescheduled at any time.
   1. All participants, including staff will be required to wear face coverings. We will be following all state and local health guidelines at the time of the event.
   2. Pre-registration is required. We will not accept walk-ins.
   3. We will not be accepting any out-of- county registrations this year. This meeting will only be open to Highland County residents. Other counties will also be implementing this restriction, be sure to call ahead if planning to attend in a different county.
   4. Space will be limited, and registration will be open to the first 10 registrants.
   5. Priority will be given to those who need to recertify in 2021.
   6. Date, cost, location, and registration details will be posted later this winter through the Highland County Extension website and through the weekly newspaper articles.
4. Drive-in recertification meeting: OSU Extension Highland County will plan a drive-in style recertification when the weather is warmer and more appropriate for this kind of format.
   1. Space will be limited, and registration will be open to the first 50 registrants.
   2. Date, cost, location, and registration details will be posted in early spring through the Highland County Extension website and through the weekly newspaper articles.

All methods of recertification require payment of license renewal fee to the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Do not forget to pay your $30 renewal fee the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA). 

This is in addition to the class fees. Visit the ODA website at go.osu.edu/odapest to renew online or to return your renewal application, sent by the ODA, with payment.

Fertilizer Applicator Certification Training

If you or someone you know, is still needing to become certified in Fertilizer Application, there will be a Live Online Webinar on February 25, 2021. More details are to come with registration.