Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. J. D. Ragland, 806-468-5543, j-ragland@tamu.edu
CANYON – A continuing education workshop for pesticide applicator license holders will be offered Oct. 25 by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Randall County at the Kuhlman Extension Center, 200 N. Brown Road in Canyon.
The training will be from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and feature virtual speakers from across the state.
“The workshop will be brought to you live via satellite,” said Dr. J. D. Ragland, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent in Randall County.
To guarantee a seat, preregistration and an RSVP are needed by noon Oct. 24 by calling the AgriLife Extension office at 806-468-5543. Registration for the conference is $25 per participant, payable at the door, and includes lunch. On-site registration will start at 7:30 a.m.
Ragland said private applicators holding a Texas Department of Agriculture license must receive 15 hours of continuing education every five years to renew/recertify their license. These hours must include two hours of laws and regulations, two hours of integrated pest management and any mix of these plus drift minimization and general hours to equal the required 15 hours.
“Licensed commercial and noncommercial applicators are required to recertify every year by receiving five continuing education credits; with one credit each from two of the following categories: laws and regulations, integrated pest management or drift minimization,” he said.
The workshop will offer five CEUs including one laws and regulations, one drift management, one integrated pest management and two general.
Topics and speakers will be:
– Laws and regulations update, Dr. Mark Matocha, AgriLife Extension specialist, environmental safety, College Station.
– Zika update: Integrated pest management approach to managing the mosquito vector and disease prevention, Dr. Charles Allen, AgriLife Extension entomologist, San Angelo.
– Livestock pests, cattle fever tick and other significant external livestock pests, Dr. Sonja Swiger, AgriLife Extension entomologist, Stephenville.
– Stay on target, minimizing drift in row crop applications and rangeland applications, Dr. Gaylon Morgan, AgriLife Extension state cotton specialist, College Station.
– Using pesticides, Dr. Don Renchie, AgriLife Extension coordinator for pesticide safety, College Station.
For more information, contact the AgriLife Extension office in Randall County.
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