A private pesticide applicator is a person who uses or supervises the use of restricted use pesticides in the production of agricultural commodities on land owned or rented by them or their employer. Applicators are not eligible to purchase or apply restricted use pesticides until both certified and licensed. I will be assisting with educator vacancies in Lancaster/Cass/Otoe and Johnson/Nemaha/Pawnee/Richardson accountability regions. The number of trainings and venues have changed across southeast Nebraska as a result. In 2023, private applicators have six training options to become certified or re-certified for another three-year span.
Option 1. The online self-study can be taken at pested.unl.edu/certification-and-training. The online option takes 3 to 4 hours and allows for a test-out alternative at the beginning, and if passed (70% or better), the rest of the online training is not required. This option is flexible to your schedule and can be taken from home. The online training cost is $50/person. If you have a poor internet connection, you can take the online training in the Saline County Extension office during office hours by appointment, call 402-821-2151.
Option 2. There will be three online Zoom trainings with a cost of $50/person and are scheduled for March. 8, 9:30 am focused on corn and soybeans, March. 21, 1:30 pm focused on pasture, and April 4, 6:30 pm focused on corn and soybeans. Registration links available at croptechcafe.org/training/.
Option 3. In-person Crop Production Clinics are offered statewide during the month of January with our closest clinic in Beatrice on January 12. Visit the clinic website at agronomy.unl.edu/cpc to register. The training cost is $95.00/person.
Option 4. The traditional in-person 3-hour training cost is $50/person. Be sure to bring the following three items with you: (1) Driver’s license or photo ID, (2) Bar-coded recertification form in the mail in December from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA). A replacement form is available at the training, and (3) $50 cash or check made out to University of Nebraska-Lincoln. To learn more about upcoming training dates and locations, please visit croptechcafe.org/training/. Pre-registration is required at go.unl.edu/2023privatepest or by calling your local Extension office in Beatrice (402-223-1384), Fairbury (402-729-3487), or Wilber (402-821-2151). Pre-registration is required due to room capacity limitations and potential inclement weather cancellations.
Option 5. Walk-in testing session, that is taking a written, closed-book exam given by the NDA. Please visit https://nda.nebraska.gov/pesticide/applicator_testing.html for a list of available test-only dates, times, and locations. There is no cost to the walk-in testing.
Option 6. Hard copy home self-study and exam is only offered in extraordinary circumstances. Please contact the UNL Pesticide Safety Education Program at 402-472-1632 to be granted this option. The cost is $75/person.
The NDA will mail you a postcard to pay the $25 license fee after completing the certified training. There are additional training requirements for restricted use dicamba and paraquat products, learn more at croptechcafe.org/training/. For inquiries about other agronomic resources and programs from Nebraska Extension, contact me at , 402-821-1722. Know your crop, know your tech, know your bottom line at croptechcafe.org.
