Effective December 31, 2020, new regulations mandate that any paraquat products under 120 gallons distributed or sold by paraquat registrants require a closed system. This also means that the new requirements do not allow for jar testing when testing for compatibility with other products. However, dealers and distributors are permitted to continue to sell paraquat products that do not meet the closed-system requirement until their stocks run out, and pesticide applicators may continue to use existing stocks according to the directions on the label of the product in their possession.
If you train others on safe use of paraquat, the updated training is now available in English in both formats, online and in-person. Both versions of the Spanish training will also be updated soon. The online training is available here and in-person training materials are available here. If you conduct paraquat training, the training materials have been updated. You must log in and download the new PowerPoint and assessment before conducting more trainings.
Paraquat training is required for all users of paraquat and must be completed every 3 years. Your current certification is still valid until 3 years after the date of your training, which is printed on your certificate. So the updated training requirements do not affect existing certifications, and those with certification do not need to re-train until their current certification expires.
By Ric Bessin, Entomology Extension Specialist
Kentucky Pest News 