FARM & ACREAGE — Pesticide Applicator Trainings
If you have a pesticide applicator license expiring April 2020 — either private or commercial, or you need to get a new license — trainings begin soon.
COMMERCIAL/ NONCOMMERCIAL APPLICATORS
Commercial/noncommercial pesticide applicators are professionals who apply restricted-use pesticides for hire or compensation. Anyone who applies pesticides to the property of another person, either restricted or general-use products, for control of pests in lawns, landscapes, buildings or homes must also have a commercial pesticide applicators license. Public employees (those employed by a town, county, state) applying mosquito control pesticides whether restricted or general use, must also hold a commercial or noncommercial certification.
Commercial/noncommercial applicators have four options to recertify or get a new license.
Traditional training classes — visit https://go.unl.edu/pestedcom for a statewide list of dates, locations, registration information and categories. Trainings at the Lancaster Extension Education Center, 444 Cherrycreek Road, Lincoln will be held at 8:30 a.m. on:
• Tuesday, Feb. 4 (Initial)
• Thursday, Feb. 6 (Recertification)
• Thursday, Feb. 20 (Recertification)
• Thursday, Feb. 27 (Initial)
• Tuesday, Mar. 17 (Initial)
• Thursday, Mar. 26 (Recertification)
• Thursday, April 9 (Initial)
Cost is $80 per online preregistration or $90 per mail, fax and at-the-door registration. It is highly recommended you obtain and review the written study materials prior to attending an initial training. This will greatly improve your chances of passing the written examination. Study materials for all commercial categories must be purchased online at https://go.unl.edu/pestedcom (click on “Purchase Study Materials”).
Testing-only option — Take a written closed-book exam given by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. Visit http://www.nda.nebraska.gov/pesticide/applicator_testing.html or call 402-471-6852 for statewide dates, times and locations. Free.
Testing sessions at the Lancaster Extension Education Center, 444 Cherrycreek Road, Lincoln will be held Thursdays, April 16 & 30, May 14 & 28, June 11 & 25, July 9 & 23, Aug. 6 & 20, Sept. 10, Oct. 8 & 29, Nov. 19 and Dec. 10. Exams must start between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Pearson VUE testing — Take a computer-based test
provided by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. No training is given with this option; testing only. Not all categories are offered, so visit https://nda.nebraska.gov/pesticide/pearson_vue_testing.html for categories, dates, locations and registration. Cost is $55 per exam. (Multiple categories are each charged the full fee.)
Crop Production Clinics (recertification only for commercial applicators) — These were held in January.
PRIVATE APPLICATORS
Private pesticide applicators are farmers or producers raising an agricultural commodity on land they own or rent. Or an employee making pesticide applications on their employer’s farm. Private applicators have four ways to recertify or get a new license.
Traditional training classes — visit
https://go.unl.edu/2020pat for dates and locations. Cost is $40 per participant collected at the door. No pre-registration required.
Trainings at the Lancaster Extension Education Center, 444 Cherrycreek Road, Lincoln will be held:
• Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. and at 1 p.m.
• Monday, March 9 at 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 10 at 9 a.m., followed by optional dicamba applicator training at 12 p.m.
Crop Production Clinics (initial and recertification for private applicators) — These were held in January.
NEW online private self-study program — An online training can be found at https://psep.education/applicator. This is a 100% online, self-paced training with 10 modules. There are questions within the modules and a score of 100% is needed to proceed to the next module. Cost is $75.
Testing-only option — Take a written, closed-book exam given by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. See list of sessions under Noncommercial Applicators.