January 23, 2009

Use by February 2, 2009
Contacts: Cornell Cooperative Extension:
• Clinton County: Amy Ivy or Anne Lenox Barlow, 518-561-7450
• Jefferson County: Michael E. Hunter, 315-788-8450

Pesticide Applicator’s Training Course Starts February 17 in Plattsburgh and Watertown

Turf growers, farmers, landscapers, and public building managers interested in refreshing their certification or becoming certified as a commercial pesticide applicator must pre-register with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton or Jefferson County by Monday, February 2 for classes that begin February 17 and run through March 5 in Watertown and Plattsburgh.

There are two options for certification: a 30-hour qualifying course for those without prior experience to become certified in commercial categories 2: Forestry, 3a – Ornamentals & Turf, or 6a: Right-of-way; and blocks of 3 credit sessions for those currently certified in any category.

The Plattsburgh site will also offer the 30-hour course in category 7a: structural & rodent. Course co-organizer Amy Ivy, executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton County, says, “This is a special opportunity for the managers of public buildings, schools, hospitals and institutions to obtain this specific training in prevention and treatment options. Those who become certified have more options for cost-savings and control.”

Each 30-hour qualifying course will be offered in five sessions to be held February 17, 19 and 24, and March 3 and 5. All sessions must be completed. Most sessions will run from 9 am to 12 noon and 12:30 pm-3:30 pm. Each category of training costs $275 for the 30-hour course. Completion of the 30-hour course is required to take the applicator’s licensing examination from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at a later date.

Those who are already licensed may attend as many individual 3-hour sessions as they like for recertification credits.

Course topics include New York State Department of Environmental Conservation rules and regulations, labeling, storage, inspections, first aid, invasive species, integrated pest management, weed control, and properly calibrating and troubleshooting equipment.

For details and a complete schedule of classes, contact Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Clinton County, 518-561-7450, http://cce.cornell.edu/clinton/ to download the pesticide program brochure for Plattsburgh courses or CCE of Jefferson County, 315-788-8450, http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/jefferson/Publications/AGpublications/
PesticideTrainingCourseFeb09.pdf to download the pesticide program brochure for Watertown courses. Information on agricultural environmental management techniques and integrated pest management is on the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program website at www.nnyagdev.org. 

General information on pesticide certification is online at http://www.pmep.cce.cornell.edu/certification.  # # #