District 5 Fall Newsletter

Dear Private Applicators, 

As we move into fall the MSU Pesticide Education Program wants to remind you to keep track of your pesticide license expiration date and pesticide education recertification credits. You can find out how many credits you have by contacting your local MSU Extension office or online at the MDA Pesticide License Search Tool. 

The outbreak of COVID-19 has changed pesticide education for the foreseeable future. At this time online and in-person testing is available for obtaining a Montana Private Applicator license. Please contact your local PAT Coordinator to get details on what is available in your area. In-person programs are allowed with COVID-19 precautions in place which greatly limits the number of attendees. This is also dependent on local conditions in each county and tribe. 

New Paraquat Requirements

Paraquat is a non-selective herbicide used for managing many grass and broadleaf weeds, while also useful as a desiccant in select crops. All workers and/or handlers of paraquat products must follow new product label requirements including:

  1. mandatory online paraquat trainings, and
  2. must be a certified applicator to handle/apply.

See the MSU PEP news release for more information. Individuals using old stocks of paraquat do not need to follow these requirements if not on their pesticide product label.

Recertification Credits

There are no in person events available in District 5 at this time. Courses are added as they are sent to the Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) for approval. Use the MDA Course Locator to search for more events.

Over 100 online courses are available for private applicators through various different hosting organizations on many different topics. View our webpage Instructions on Using the MDA Course Locator Tool to find out how to search for online courses.

Recent Publications and News Updates

MSU Extension Resource: Horticultural Specialist Abiya (Abi) Saeed

Abi Saeed is the Extension Horticulture Associate Specialist for Montana State University. She assists home gardeners, commercial and private green industry professionals, and county and reservation extension offices with horticulture-related questions, concerns, and diagnostics pertaining to Montana. You can contact her at (406) 994-6523 or [email protected].

 

Private applicator District 5 recertification dates

 

Montana Private Applicator District 5 consists of the following counties and reservations in Southeast Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Crow Reservation, Fergus, Golden Valley, Judith Basin, Musselshell, Northern Cheyenne Reservation, Petroleum, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Wheatland, and Yellowstone. District 5's five-year recertification cycle expires on 12/31/2022. Applicators wishing to renew their license will need to obtain six recertification credits by this date. You can look up your current credits online, as well as look for currently available pesticide education courses.

 

MSU Extension Pesticide Education Program 
P.O. Box 172900 Bozeman, MT 59717-2900
406-994-5067 or 406-994-5178
[email protected]
pesticides.montana.edu

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