Penn State is offering an extension that provides a 25 percent discount on all pesticide recertification online courses through March 31. To get a pesticide certification, those filling out an application will need recertification credits approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at three-year intervals. This program requires six core credits and a maximum of 10 category credits for each category the applicant is certified.
“Many applicators live in remote areas or lack internet access or interest in online learning, so we offer a wide variety of formats to accommodate the needs of our audience,” said Jon Johnson, the director of pesticide education. “Everyone likes options. Whether you prefer to learn in the comfort of your home or meet in public places to socialize and experience instruction in the company of others, you will find the format that works best for you.”
- Learning formats include online courses, correspondence courses, workshops, webinars and conferences.
- The extension reacted quickly to the pandemic and the need for alternative, safe ways of learning.
- The workbooks allow pesticide applicators to earn recertification credits by mail. The workbooks cover a range of topics, including forage, pumpkin, tomato and soybean diseases, adjuvants and pesticides, pesticide recordkeeping, pesticide spill protocol, grain and rodent burrow fumigation, pollinators and pesticides.
- Johnson noted that online training or workbook courses offer advantages such as schedule flexibility, more customized topic selections, elimination of the need for travel and self-paced instruction. Inclement weather or emergencies do not prevent online or correspondence courses from occurring.
- Extension offers 30 online courses and webinars with opportunities to earn pesticide recertification credits. These virtual options cover a wide range of topics, such as aquatic pesticide management, employee landscape training, forage weed management, pesticide emergency or incidence response, turfgrass installation and maintenance, pesticides in the environment, and many other subjects.
- With several in-person workshops and conferences on the calendar, Extension also accommodates those who prefer in-person instruction. These workshops, such as the “Professional Pest Managers School” and the “Crops Day” events held around the state, provide opportunities for networking with peers while earning recertification credits.
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