All commercial pesticide applicators must take exams in order to become certified initially, and some choose to become recertified by exam rather than by attending continuing instructional courses. With the arrival of Asian soybean rust in this country, many commercial applicators are considering adding agricultural diseases (category 1C) to their certification so that they can apply fungicides.

Two training sessions to help prepare individuals for the commercial pesticide applicator examinations will be offered in eastern Iowa. One session is in Marion on Monday, February 20, in the Linn County Extension Office at 3279 7th Avenue. A second session will be offered in Bettendorf on Monday, March 6, in the Scott County Extension Office, 875 Tanglefoot Lane. Training will begin at 9:00 a.m. at both locations.

Training sessions will cover the Iowa Core Manual and categories 1A (Agricultural Weed Management); 1B (Agricultural Insect Control); 1C (Agricultural Crop Disease Management); 3O, T, and G (Ornamental, Turf, and Greenhouse Pest Management); 4 (Seed Treatment); and 6 (Right-of-Way). Training on the Iowa Core Manual will be from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. Training on the other categories will begin at approximately 10:30 a.m. and conclude in early afternoon.

There is a $20 fee per person at each training session. These training sessions do not qualify as continuing instructional courses. For more information, please contact Jim Fawcett at (319) 337-2145 or Virgil Schmitt at (563) 263-5701.