By Jeff Burbrink
Ag & Natural Resources Extension Educator, Purdue Extension LaGrange County

LAGRANGE — For those who hold a Private Pesticide Applicator License (often referred to as a PARP license), there are several opportunities coming to pick up training that can apply to the renewal of your permit.

Jeff Burbrink

On Tuesday, Aug. 6, there is a Vegetable Growers Walk at the Tim Schrock Farm, 1895 W 200S near LaGrange. The program will begin about 6:15 p.m. and end about 9 p.m. The subjects to be covered in this commercial vegetable focused meeting will be fungicide use, understanding FRAC codes, and a regulatory update. The cost will be $10 for those wanting PARP credit.

On Monday, Aug. 19, I will host a program aimed at corn and soybean growers. It will be held in the LaGrange County Commissioners Room at 114 W Michigan St., in LaGrange. The program will be held from 1-3 p.m. and repeated again from 7-9 p.m. You can only get one PARP credit for this session. Topics will be a Soybean Cyst Nematode update, understanding FRAC codes on fungicides, and an update on regulatory issues. There is no cost to attend, because in the Indiana Corn and Soybean Associations are picking of the $10 PARP fee.

Anyone can attend these events. If you already have the credits you need to renew your license, but want to attend because the topics are of interest, that is okay. Just don’t sign up for PARP! You do not even need a pesticide license to attend.

Need to know your pesticide license status? Visit tinyurl.com/8a5vyu26. If you do not have internet access, call your local county Extension Office.

If you cannot attend these meetings, there are numerous programs scheduled around the state in August and early September. Visit the Purdue Pesticide Program website to see a list of approved meetings. Indiana PARP license holders can attend any of the meetings on the list to get a credit. There will be an opportunity at the Northeast Purdue Ag Center Field Day on Thursday, Aug. 22, east of Columbia City, for instance. Another PARP credit meeting is scheduled in nearby Millersburg on Aug. 23.

Please remember, you need three credits over the five-year life of the license to auto-renew your license. You cannot earn any more than two credits in a given year, so that last two years of your license, you really need to pay attention to your status, or you might find yourself needing to take the exam again!