MANDATORY TRAININGS AVAILABLE FOR HERBICIDE AND PESTICIDE APPLICATORS

by admin

By Dr. Pete Dotray, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

New EPA-Required Paraquat Training – 2020

In March 2019, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that
certified applicators must successfully complete an EPA-approved training
before mixing, loading, and/or applying paraquat dichloride (commonly
referred to as paraquat).
Paraquat is a restricted use pesticide (RUP) due to acute toxicity and is
sold under several brand names.
New labeling with the active ingredient paraquat dichloride (e.g.
Gramoxone, Paraquat, Blanco, Bonfire Herbicide, Devour, Firestorm,
Helmquat, Para-SHOT, Parazone, and Quik-Quat) will require additional
training in order to apply these products.

Newly labeled paraquat dichloride products may ONLY be mixed, loaded, or
applied by a certified applicator who has successfully completed the
paraquat-specific training before use. Application “under direct
supervision” of a certified applicator is NO LONGER allowed. Anyone
purchasing and using these products must have a private applicator license
or a commercial applicator license. If you have been applying under someone
else’s license in the past you will need to get your own license before
applying these products with the new label statements.

New label changes will include improved toxicity communication in English
and Spanish, and a “DANGER – ONE SIP CAN KILL” statement. Since 2000, 17
deaths have been caused by accidental ingestion of paraquat. Many of these
deaths resulted from people illegally transferring the pesticide to
beverage containers and the victim later mistaking it for a drink. A
single sip can be fatal. Since 2000, three more deaths and many severe
injuries have been caused by the pesticide getting onto the skin or into
the eyes of those working with it.

The only training that meets the requirements is housed on the Extension
website (http://usparaquattraining.com).
You will need to create an account if you don’t already have one and allow
approximately 30 minutes for this training. Once the training is complete a
certificate will be provided.
The training will be required every three years.

New Auxin Certification Training – 2020

New Auxin Certification Trainings are planned at several venues in 2020.
This training will satisfy the US EPA annual requirement for mandatory
dicamba applicator training and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA)
requirement for annual auxin specific training for approved dicamba and
2,4-D formulations. This training is not a substitute for the
state-specific Certified Applicator training, which is required to
purchase and use RUPs. This training will highlight Federal label
restrictions for approved formulations, Texas 24C label modifications, and
new approved formulations for use in 2020.

The TDA-approved training from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is
a one-hour training and 1 continuing education unit (CEU) in Laws and Regs
will be provided.
In addition to several county-based and industry-sponsored trainings,
trainings are scheduled at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center –
Lubbock on February 14, March 13, April 10, and May 8 at 9:00 AM.

For more information on any of the above, please contact Dr. Pete Dotray
with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension at pete.dotray@agnet.tamu.edu.

related articles