Pesticide, fertilizer recertification upcoming
Happy New Year! A new year means new certifications, and one of the many services offered by OSU Extension is assistance with pesticide and fertilizer applicator licenses — training, renewal and study materials. I’m happy to share this information from Frank Becker, the agriculture and natural resources extension educator in Wayne County.
If you or someone you know needs to renew a private pesticide applicator license and/or private or commercial fertilizer applicator license in 2024, pay attention to the events shared below. For those needing to complete a recertification course for their private pesticide applicators license or their fertilizer applicators license, there are several opportunities in Wayne and Holmes counties in early 2024. The only Holmes County dates are in January.
These recertification sessions are only for current private applicator license holders. If you are interested in receiving a new private or commercial pesticide applicator license, you must schedule a test through the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Contact our office to obtain study guides and additional information.
If interested in becoming a licensed fertilizer applicator, call the Wayne County Extension Office at 330-264-8722. They are compiling a list of interested people and may be scheduling a first-time fertilizer applicator training in late March.
You must call ahead to the Wayne County Extension Office to preregister for any of these recertification classes.
The class opportunities are as follows:
—Jan. 25 at the AgPro Expo at the Harvest Ridge Fairgrounds, 8880 state Route 39, Millersburg. The pesticide session will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, and fertilizer recertification will take place from 2-3 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be available at the AgPro Expo.
—Jan. 30 at the Mt. Hope Livestock Auction, 8076 state Route 241, Mt. Hope. Pesticide will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, and fertilizer will take place from 1-2 p.m.
—Feb. 9 at Drake Park in West Salem, 352 Greely St., West Salem. Class size for this space is extremely limited. Pesticide will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, and fertilizer will take place from 1-2 p.m.
—Feb. 13 at the Kidron Community Park Building, 4434 Kidron Road, Kidron. Pesticide will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, and fertilizer will take place from 1-2 p.m.
—March 5 at the Secrest Welcome and Education Center, 2122 Williams Road, Wooster. Pesticide will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, and fertilizer will take place from 1-2 p.m.
The cost for pesticide recertification is $35, and the fertilizer recertification cost is $15. This can be paid at the door on the day of the training. If you are doing both recertification sessions, the cost is $50.
Additionally, you need to fill out the license renewal form that was sent to you by ODA, and you have to send the $30 renewal fee to ODA. This $30 renewal fee sent to ODA is different from the $35 and $15 recertification program fees. Your ODA renewal can be sent in prior to attending a recertification program. This may expedite receiving your new license.
Remember these pesticide recertification sessions are for only private pesticide applicators. The fertilizer sessions can be attended by both private and commercial fertilizer applicators.
Frank Becker is the agriculture and natural resources extension educator with Ohio State University Extension Wayne County and a certified crop adviser and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or becker.587@osu.edu.
Kate Shumaker is an OSU Extension family and consumer sciences educator in Holmes County and may be reached at 330-674-3015. Follow on Facebook @OSUEXTHolmes or visithttps://holmes.osu.edu.
