Pesticide Applicator Recertification

Workshop #1  | February 21, 2024

• Cost: $99+gst
• Delivery: Olds College Campus
• Length: 9:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• Credits: 2 Continuing Education Credits PENDING
• Instructor: Dr.Ken Fry, PhD Olds College Instructor

Monitoring Methods: Learn from the Bug Doctor! A good pest management plan comes together with good data. Learn the best practice for monitoring/scouting whether it's insects or weeds. There are key strategies to get a systematic sampling that is useable. Discuss everything from sampling methods, and gathering a representative sample to building a statistical model that will be the basis for good decision-making.
Pest Management CEU Agriculture, Landscape, Forestry

Pollinators and Pesticides: Plants and their characteristics that benefit pollinators
and how pesticides affect pollinators. This session will examine what pollinators
are, which insects serve as pollinators and what they are looking for in a pollen
source. Plant characteristics will be described that best suit pollinators so plant
selection decisions can best support pollinators. The impacts of pesticides on
pollinators will also be described.
Environment CEU Agriculture, Landscape, Forestry Applicators

Workshop #2  | February 21, 2024

• Cost: $149+gst
• Delivery: Olds College Campus
• Length: 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Credits: 3 Continuing Education Credits PENDING
• Instructor: 

Workshop #3  | February 22, 2024

• Cost: $99+gst
• Delivery: Olds College Campus
• Length: 9:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• Credits: 2 Continuing Education Credits PENDING
• Instructor: Andrea Sawatzky, Health Canada Compliance Officer

To Drift or NOT to Drift: Health Canada's Pesticide Compliance Program's Officer will provide information on how the PMRA mitigates spray drift (i.e. buffer zones), how buffer zones are established (e.g. risk assessment, spray drift determination), site-specific buffer zone modification (buffer zone calculator)
Regulations CEU- All Classes

Aging, Risk and Pesticides: While keeping pesticide use/ potential exposure in mind; Andrea will talk about risk, the implications of aging & risk and how risks are communicated.
Regulations CEU- All Classes

Workshop #4  | February 22, 2024

• Cost: $149+gst
• Delivery: Olds College Campus
• Length: 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Credits: 3 Continuing Education Credits PENDING
• Instructor: Mark Anderson, Alberta Turf Foundation

Environmental Conditions Affecting the Off-Target Movement of Pesticides: The presentation will focus on operating factors and environmental weather conditions that determine the fate of pesticides once released into the atmosphere. Initially, pesticide drift is dependent on operating factors and thereafter on the atmospheric conditions, the spray droplets and/or mists encounter. Operating factors of nozzle selection, operating pressure, travel speed, and boom height as they pertain to the release of spray droplets will be discussed. Atmospheric weather conditions of stability, wind, air currents, temperature, and humidity as they pertain to the evaporation of droplets, volatilization, and droplet dispersion will also be discussed.
Environment CEU- All Classes

A Practical Evaluation of Pesticide Formulations: A directed hands-on training session designed to allow the applicator an opportunity to mix and evaluate the properties and concerns of a number of pesticide formulations in use today. The importance of formulation type plays a vital role in determining the method and success or failure of the application. The pesticide formulation is in itself quite important in ensuring the safe and efficient performance of pesticides. Certain formulations may pose particularly difficult problems involving mixing, stability, and physical condition. This hands-on session was designed to allow the applicator the opportunity to explore and become more familiar with some of the pesticide formulation and their properties.
General Information CEU – All Classes

The Pesticide Label Is Your Best Guide To Using Pesticides Safely And Effectively: The pesticide label is your best guide to using pesticides safely and effectively. The directions on the label are there primarily to help you achieve maximum benefits and the pest control that you desire with minimum risk. Because of this, a label must be read carefully and revisited each year, as revisions can be made by the company or the PMRA from time to time. It is critical that every applicator be comfortable in interpreting product labels when they are applying. Safety data sheets (SDS) are detailed information bulletins prepared by the manufacturer or importer of a chemical that describes the physical and chemical properties, physical and health hazards, routes of exposure, precautions for safe handling and use, emergency and first-aid procedures, and control measures. The presentation will provide a practical overview of the key sections of a pesticide label and their corresponding safety data sheet (SDS). This practical label interpretation
session and discussion is aimed at building the application confidence in using pesticides safely and effectively.
Labelling CEU- All Classes

You are required to complete 15 Continuing Education Credits (CEU) approved for the class of certificate you hold, in the required concept areas below. A maximum of 10 CEU can be obtained in any one year. Remember to plan ahead. You must also complete and submit a recertification form and the set fee. 

The required minimum concept areas must be obtained includes:

• 2 Credits: Regulations (new regulations, regulatory concerns, etc)
• 2 Credits: Health & Pesticide Safety (safe application, storage, disposal of pesticides - practices to ensure personal, bystander, animal health, etc)
• 1 Credit: Environment (environmental issues, pesticide fate, runoff, movement, leaching, etc)
• 2 Credits: Pest Management (pest description, pesticide characteristics, Integrated Pest Management, etc)
• 2 Credits: in Application Technology (calibration clinics, drift modeling, new equipment demonstrations, etc)

Recertification Credit Amount Exceptions:

Continuing education credits must be approved for 'all classes' of applicator certificate or specific to the certificate applicator category held.

Complete the required lesson and return with completed forms and fees - Special Certificate Grading for lesson and Re-certification form.

You must obtain a minimum grade of 80% on your lesson in order to qualify for recertification.