COLUMBUS — Ohio farmers who still need to get fertilizer certification before the Sept. 30 deadline will have more than 20 opportunities to attend training sessions offered through the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.
The training, provided by Ohio State University Extension, fulfills the educational requirements of Ohio’s 2014 agricultural nutrients legislation which requires individuals who apply fertilizer on more than 50 acres to become certified by Sept. 30, 2017.
Already, more than 17,000 Ohio farmers have gone through Fertilizer Applicator Certification Training, or FACT, which offers information on best management practices to apply fertilizer for optimum crop yields, reduce the risk of nutrient runoff and improve water quality throughout the state, said Mary Ann Rose, program director for OSU Extension’s Pesticide Safety Education Program.
The training, offered in partnership with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, will be held across the state into mid-September. The three-hour programs are all free.
Certification
In order to gain the Ohio Fertilizer Applicator Certification, farmers need to attend the FACT program in person and complete the necessary Ohio Department of Agriculture forms.
Applicators who are a Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) or Ohio Certified Livestock Manager (CLM) are not required to attend training to become certified for fertilizer applications, Rose said. However, those with a CCA or CLM exemption for training must still contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture at 614-728-6987 to complete the exemption paperwork and pay for the fertilizer certification if the applicator does not already have a pesticide applicator license.
Information on where the trainings are being held can be found at nutrienteducation.osu.edu/trainingopportunities.
Get fertilizer certification at Mahoning County field day
The Mahoning County office of Ohio State University Extension is hosting a fertilizer field day on July 26 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for Ohioans needing to complete their Fertilizer Applicator Certification Training (FACT).
Agronomy specialists Tom Puch from Agland Co-op Inc. and Ryan Haden from The Ohio State University will speak at the event about soil health and precision agriculture. Eric Barrett, an educator in the Mahoning County Extension office, will provide training on fertilizer safety and proper fertilizer practices for participants to fulfill the requirements for Ohio’s fertilizer application certification training.
State requirement. The Ohio Department of Agriculture requires fertilizer applicator certification for anyone who applies fertilizer, other than manure, to more than 50 acres. The certification must be obtained by Sept. 30.
Location. The field day will take place at Myron Wehr Farms, 15404 state Route 46 in New Waterford. Registration for the event is $5, which covers the cost of lunch and handouts.
Registration information can be found at go.osu.edu/julyfert or by calling the Mahoning County Extension office at 330-533-5538.
