By By Steve Strong / area horticulture extension agent
March 31, 2004
Producers with livestock, timberland and commercial vegetable operations must be certified in the state of Mississippi to purchase and apply restricted use pesticides.
Restricted use pesticides are products that may cause serious harm to people or the environment if used improperly, and the Mississippi State University Extension Service provides the Private Applicator Training for farmers on a regular basis.
The next PAT certification is scheduled for Monday at 6 p.m. at the Lauderdale County Extension auditorium on the fifth floor of the Raymond Davis Annex. The annex is at the intersection of Constitution Avenue and Fifth Street, and producers requiring a private pesticide applicator permit should call 482-9764 to preregister.
Homeowners do not need PAT certification to purchase over-the-counter pesticides for lawn, garden and household use. However, producers wanting to apply that high-strength herbicide on pasture weeds, forest land kudzu patches, and vegetable or row crops do need to attend the PAT workshop to obtain restricted use products.
The workshop is free, and the applicator training takes a little over an hour to complete. There is also a short multiple-choice exam that each producer must pass in order to obtain the private applicator certification, with the main goal of making sure that every farmer applying restricted use pesticides can read a label correctly.
The private applicator permit is good for five years, after which time the producer must attend the certification program again. A producer may only use a private permit to purchase and apply pesticides on his/her own property, and it is illegal to use this permit in the business of spraying for anyone else.
A commercial pesticide applicator certification is required to apply pesticides as a business, and that goes for everything from fence row spraying to home bug control. The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (Bureau of Plant Industry at MSU (662) 325-3390) oversees the certification of commercial applicators, and their permits are good for three years.
The state Agriculture Department is also responsible for making sure that both private and commercial applicators keep pesticide application records of whatever they spray or spread. It is state law in Mississippi to keep accurate records of any restricted use pesticide applied in agricultural operations, and failure to comply can result in stiff fines or even jail time.
On a happier note, doesn't it feel good to know that when you shop for fresh produce in summer at the Meridian Area Farmers Market, the farmers you count on for safe food for your family are using pesticides safely and wisely? It's just another one of the many successful partnerships between the MSU Extension Service, local producers, and the communities they serve.
The Farmers Market will be up and running again by June 1, and will open six days a week Monday through Saturday, downtown under the 18th Avenue Bridge next to Union Station. Vegetable producers interested in selling at the market need to contact the Lauderdale County Extension Service at 482-9764 for an application to join the local growers association.
Private landowners can also dial the same number to learn more about other local organizations that promote tree farming through the Lauderdale County Forestry Association, and livestock production via the Cattlemens Association. The MSU Extension Service sponsors these and many additional community groups call today to find out more.