Chemigation is the process of applying chemicals to land/crops with water from an irrigation system. Chemical is broadly defined as any fertilizer, herbicide, fungicide, or pesticides mixed with the irrigation water during application. In southeast Nebraska, the most common chemigation process is applying liquid nitrogen fertilizer through a center pivot. Applying nitrogen fertilizer through pivots during the growing season can match corn hybrid nitrogen uptake demand and can improve nitrogen use efficiency.
The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) requires certified chemigation applicators. An applicator (sometimes called a chemigator) is the person actively engaged in the application of chemicals via chemigation. This may or may not be the owner of the land who is legally responsible for the use of chemigation on the land, called the chemigation permit holder, with the Natural Resources District (NRD).
Applicators are required to take a training and past an exam every 4 years. Those applicators whose certification expired on Jan. 1, 2022, have already received a letter from Nebraska Extension. Nebraska Extension is contracted by NDEE to deliver chemigation applicator trainings. Requirements for initial and recertification are the same, come to a face-to-face meeting to become certified or opt for the online version of the training and testing program. The online training program along with directions can be accessed at water.unl.edu/cropswater/chemigation. If you wish to attend an in-person chemigation training, you must pre-register online at croptechcafe.org/training or over the phone by calling the Saline County Extension office at 402-821-2151.
Dates and locations of in-person chemigation trainings (preregistration required, no day-of walk-in):
- March 3, 1:00 – 4:00 pm at Saline County Extension Office, 306 W 3rd St, Wilber NE 68465-0978
- March 8, 1:00 – 4:00 pm at Jefferson County Fairgrounds 4-H Building, 56885 PWF Rd, Fairbury NE 68352
- March 10, 1:00 – 4:00 pm at Gage County Extension Office, 1115 W Scott, Beatrice, NE 68310-3514
- March 29, 1:00 – 4:00 pm at Lancaster County Extension Office, 444 Cherrycreek Rd, Lincoln NE 68528-1591 (Late training for southeast Nebraska)
When you pre-register over the phone, you can request that the training manual and calibration workbook be mailed to you for review prior to the training session or the digital versions are available online at water.unl.edu/cropswater/chemigation. If you do not ask to have the training materials and calibration workbook sent to you, the copies will be given to you on the day of the training. On the day of the training session, please bring your Chemigation Training Manual, Calibration Workbook (if you asked to have them sent to you), and calculator (no cellphone calculators) along to use during the training and test. There is no charge for the training or the manuals. You must attend the entire class and pass the 50-question multiple-choice test to be certified. Upon successful completion of the class, chemigators may renew individual injection site permits administered by the local NRD office before June 1.
For more information and general inquiries about chemigation, feel free to contact me at or 402-821-1722. Know your crop, know your tech, know your bottom line at croptechcafe.org.
