February is National Pesticide Safety Education month. This is a time to reinforce the core principles of safe and responsible pesticide use with many audiences. Pesticides are key tools used to manage a diverse group of pests, diseases, and weeds.…

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…

Applying pesticides safely and effectively takes training and experience. Applying pesticides improperly can result in risks to one’s health, to food safety, and to the environment. From a regulatory perspective, pesticides are classified as either General Use Pesticides (GUP) or…

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, there are fewer testing locations for persons needing certification as commercial applicators. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is offering testing in Frankfort and Gilbertsville in western Kentucky. At each location, testing is limited to nine individuals…

Pesticides aren’t cheap, so it is important to take care of them. Pesticides can become degraded or unusable during the winter months if not stored properly. Some pesticides can be degraded with extreme temperatures or high humidity. This can result…

The EPA has officially canceled the labels of Xtendimax, Engenia, and FeXapan and has ceased the sale and distribution of these three products effective June 3, 2020.   The exception is that farmers and commercial applicators may apply product that was…

New labeling on paraquat containers requires applicators to complete paraquat certification to purchase and use this herbicide. The website for the mandatory training is listed on the new paraquat labels and is located here.  Applicators using paraquat will need to…

The world is currently facing a pandemic with little historical precedence. In the face of this challenge, we cannot lose sight of the vital importance of proper pest management in protecting people, food, and structures. Therefore, to help individuals make…

There is a critical need for N95 respirators for health care workers to deal with the increasing threat of Covid-19, which means that there are few, if any, respirators available in the marketplace for agricultural pesticide applications.  Some herbicide, fungicide,…

Due to the emergency situation caused by the Covid-19 outbreak and suspension of all face-to-face training meetings and testing for Private Applicators at county Extension offices in Kentucky, we are using the following procedures to certify new private applicators. Similarly,…

On February 3, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published their proposed interim decisions on neonicotinoid insecticides in the Congressional Federal Register. This review included the active ingredients imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, acetamiprid, and dinotefuran. Some common trade names that include these…

February is National Pesticide Safety Education month. This is a time to reinforce the core principals of safe and responsible pesticide use for many audiences. Pesticides are key tools used to manage a diverse group of pests, diseases, and weeds.…