Pesticide course to be offered

By Sam Waller

Shackelford County extension agent Kelsey Bell  will offer a Private Pesticide Applicator Program on Wednesday, Feb. 2.

Bell said the training  is specifically for those seeking a Texas Department of Agriculture private applicator license and is not continuing education unit training.

“This license is required to buy and apply restricted-use or state limited-use herbicides and pesticides,” Bell said. “The Texas Department of Agriculture requires this training prior to being tested for a private applicator pesticide license, which is issued through the agency.”

The course will be held 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Shackelford County Courthouse. Cost is $50 per person and includes the training and study materials.

To enroll, contact Bell at 325-762-9435 (office) or 325-513-5818 (cell).

Bell said the training consists of a live-stream video.

“Basically, I will just act as the facilitator of the course,” she said. “I’ll sign off on the individual having completed the training, and they will be responsible for taking the test themselves.”

Bell said the program is geared toward agriculture producers as opposed to home lawn and garden care.

“If you want something more than Roundup to kill weeds in native grasses or crop production, that would be the person who is looking for this training,” she said.