UNCE offers training for pesticides on Oct. 2

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, in partnership with the Nevada Department of Agriculture, is offering a free workshop Oct. 2 to train people throughout the state how to properly handle and use pesticides.

The workshop is meant for certified applicators, people who regularly handle pesticides as part of their jobs, such as farmers, ranchers, park employees and groundskeepers.

“Pesticides are poisons, chemicals that kill something else,” Cooperative Extension Pesticide Safety Program Assistant Melody Hefner said. “So it is important for applicators to know how to apply them safely. The workshop teaches applicators how to keep themselves, other people, pets, livestock and wildlife safe and protect the environment.”

The training will be held in Reno at the Washoe County Cooperative Extension office, 4955 Energy Way, and will be made available via videoconference to 12 other Cooperative Extension locations throughout Nevada, including Battle Mountain, Carson City, Caliente, Elko, Ely, Eureka, Fallon, Gardnerville, Hawthorne, Lovelock, Winnemucca and Yerington. The training runs from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Cooperative Extension, in partnership with the Nevada Department of Agriculture, has offered pesticide application workshops for the last 20 years, training thousands of certified applicators in safe pesticide use.

The Oct. 2 workshop will help those who have not yet been certified to prepare for the next Certified Pesticide Applicator exam. The exam costs $25 and will be offered Oct. 8 in Sparks and Oct. 10 in Winnemucca. Exams are also given weekly at the Nevada Department of Agriculture office in Sparks by appointment only. For those who are already certified, the workshop will provide continuing education credits, which are required to maintain certification.

Hard copies of the study manual for the exam are available for purchase from Cooperative Extension for $15 or may be downloaded online for free at www.nevadapesticideeducation.com.

Limited seating is available for the Oct. 2 workshop. Preregister by the Friday deadline by contacting Hefner at 775-336-0247 or hefnerm@unce.unr.edu or the Churchill County Extension at 423-5121.

Persons in need of special accommodations or assistance must call or notify Pat Whitten at least three days prior to the event.