South Plains Applicator Conference set for Dec. 2-3 in Plainview
Continuing education units and pesticide applicator license training are offered
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host a South Plains Applicator Conference on Dec. 2-3 at the Ollie Liner Center, 2000 S. Columbia St., Plainview.
Registration is $100 for the Dec. 2 training and will include lunch and snacks. The registration is $200 for each of the three different license training courses on Dec. 3. Registration will close on Nov. 21. Those planning to attend should register at https://tx.ag/SPApplicatorConf.
Six Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education credits for agriculture – one drift, one laws and regulations, and two each in general and integrated pest management, IPM; and four structural pest control service units – one general, one laws and regulations, and two IPM, will be available.
On the agenda
Dec. 2 will be a CEU conference training for professionals involved in municipal programs and parks, school maintenance, golf courses, landscape pest management, turf management, lawn care and other interested parties.
The program topics will be:
- Turfgrass maintenance and drift, Joey Young, Ph.D., Texas Tech University associate professor of turfgrass science, Lubbock.
- Weed lifecycle, identification and integrated approach to weed management, Peter Dotray, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research and AgriLife Extension weed specialist and professor in the Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences and at Texas Tech University, Lubbock.
- School IPM, Jacob Wightman, AgriLife Extension agricultural and environmental safety program specialist, Agricultural and Environmental Safety Unit, Bryan-College Station.
- Right-of-way maintenance, Mark Matocha, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension environmental unit pesticide safety education specialist, Agricultural and Environmental Safety Unit, Bryan-College Station.
- Laws and regulations, Wightman.
- Tree and ornamental IPM, Emmett Muennink, Arborjet, Dallas.
- Hands-on demonstrations: Start-up equipment/chemical needs, including commercial and non-commercial, structural and drones. Derrick Pate, P8 Pest Control Services, will provide the hands-on demonstration for the structural equipment. Mark Carroll, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent in Floyd County, will demonstrate the hands-on equipment for commercial and non-commercial applicators.
Pesticide applicator and structural pest control license training
Dec. 3 is dedicated to training and preparation for the TDA applicator licenses.
The commercial and non-commercial pesticide applicator license training will be with Matocha. The TDA structural pest control license training will be taught by Wightman.
Sponsors for the event include Ag Texas, Wylie Implement and Advanta Seed.
For more information, contact Kristie Keys, AgriLife Extension agronomy agent for Castro, Hale and Lamb counties, at 325-665-8790, or Carroll at 806-983-4912.
