Getting sprayer certified and spraying yourself.....

How hard is it to get the certification to be able to spray yourself for treatments other than Round Up? Just adding up the spraying bills for the last few years and think I should really make the investment in a good economical used sprayer and get certified to be able to spray. Tired of the bill, waiting on a list to get the pre"s on prior to a rain, and would like to be able to spot spray trouble spots with out charges for acres that don need it.

I got certified in Ohio 3 years ago. Test was pretty tough. I bought the books and studied. There is a continuing education requirement also. The license doesn"t cost much.

We were like you and tired of the high bills. We had 30" sprayer and bought a nicer 45" x fold. The newer sprayer paid for itself in less than 1 year.

Also need to keep records.

Difficulty depends on the state, apparently- I haven't taken the test in Washington, but I'm told it is pretty easy. And we can use a lot more than Roundup without a license- 2,4D, Milestone, Crossbow, many others available "over the counter."

It is not that hard. First time you have to take a test and score a certain percentage. Iowa has testing in the winter at various locations across the state. Iowa has a study quide to prepare for the test as well as meetings to prepare. I just used the study guide. I had a good background prior to studying and taking the test. After the first test if you attend other Iowa State University Extension meetings which qualify (one a year) your certification automatically continues to renew and you do not have to retest. I have my certification if I need it, but still hire my primary spraying done. I am busy enough trying to get things planted so hiring the farm center is pretty easy for me to justify. Also they offer me free crop scouting and back up the product if something does not work through the product reps. They pull in with a $300,000 sprayer with all kinds of technology (mapping, rates) that I wouldn't want to buy. In post applications they run over less crop with their 100 foot sprayer than I would with my 40 foot sprayer. So between my workload, product support, crop scouting services and damage to crop I am currently satisfied hiring spraying done. I did buy an Outback guidance system so I may begin to do some preplant applications. I still can't imagine wallowing through narrow row soybeans with a 130 horse power tractor and 40 sprayer.

Minn is pretty easy. Usually the local coop or stores that sell fertilizer or spray put on seminars in the winter and will help you get your license. You will have to know how to calibrate a sprayer etc but is basically a open book test.

Here in Tx its not hard or expensive. One day class is $20.00, book is $20.00, license fee is $50.00. You have to have at least 15 CEU's (class time) over 5 yrs to maintain your license.

The Ag service in our county has a seminar every year for the CEUs and they're always interesting and informative.

We bought the book in advance and studied before the seminar. Hardest thing you have to learn is how to calculate the spray rates for your rig.

Our place is small, so our 60 gal tank works okay. We have a 200 gal water tank on a buggy we take to the spray site for refills. A little time consuming, but spray tank, water buggy, building our own boom, etc, we have around $500 in the rig, including the pumps.

Having the license allows you to purchase a wide variety of herbicides from an ag provider and is much cheaper.

We only raise hay, no crops, so can't recommend any herbicides for crops.

We have been very pleased with GrazonNext and use it exclusively. For total kill, glyphosate (round up) and for brush, stumps we use Remedy. Be sure to follow the directions and use a surfactant, NOT SOAP!

In Michigan it's a $50 fee and a test every 3 years. The book is long and the questions on the test are a lot of trick questions. I used to breeze through the test in good shape,but the older I get,the stupider I get apparently. You can renew with credits here if you go to all the right meetings where they give the credits. I've been certified since the late 80s.

In Kansas,it's an open book test. easy.I've got an Apache AS500 Sprayer I need to move I'll make you a deal.

Shouldn't be too difficult. Here in MD, the test for certified pesticide applicators is a joke! Your state fees will be less, as my license is for lawn and right of way pesticides. Main thing is they want you to be insured, for what I do, and they want the fees, mainly!

The Texas permit that Nancy refered to is a Private Applicator's license. In short, can't charge for the service.
I do custom baling and weed spray a lot fields for some of my customers. I can't charge for doing that but I do charge for the diesel used to pull the spray rig. Like Dave from Mn I got into it to do my own place but when I got into custom baling it was a good fit to help & keep customers.

Easy to attend one of the spring meetings here in mn. I believe first times need to take the open book test yet. After that, go to a meeting every three years, pay the fee, and good to go.

They want you to pass, it is not hard. They want you to think about being safe with the stuff.

Only thing I have ever used is an insecticide on the beans, not many sprays actually require the license? Only the RUP products need the license.

Paul

Here is the web site with all info for MN.

http://www.mda.state.mn.us/licensing/licensetypes/pesticideapplicator.aspx


Paul
Mn app licence

Ky. is two leavls, private and commercial. Half day and a test for private(only spray for yourself) good for 3yrs. Do mine at the county agents office.

You are correct. We have private applicator licenses. While you can't receive payment for spraying someone else's property, you can "trade" services.

The book states -

"Use or supervision of use on the property of another person is allowed if applied without compensation other than the trading of personal services between producers of agricultural commodities."

In plain English something like this - I want some corn planted, but don't have corn planting equipment. Someone else needs his field sprayed, but doesn't have a license or spraying equipment, but has the equipment to plant corn. Cost of planting the corn is equivalent to cost of having the field sprayed. Neighbor agress to plant corn in your field, you agree to spray his field.

P.S. I'll check with my ag agent. You may be able to take the equivalent cost of the spraying in alfalfa bales.

in central minn the county ext agent office puts on a about 4 hr seminar 1st time i did open book next time i did the seminar and got a lot more out of it than the book as far as proper handling and other stuff . plus then you can buy RUP's. good luck

A certification gives you a license to buy the restricted stuff. You can pay for your own sprayer in short time compared to what you pay to have it commercially applied and like you said you can spray when you want to. I finally got my own sprayer when the yayhoo running the Co-op's sprayer killed all of my grass waterways with roundup when he sprayed my beans. That fall he got an award for spraying the most acres for the Co-op. Even had his pic in the paper showing him getting the award. The sprayer I bought cost $25,000 and it was paid for in two years. I only farm 700 acres. Jim

Years ago I applied for and got a Texas State Applicator's Permit. Applied to the State capitol in Austin. I let it expire when the annual fee went from $10 to $100 and wasn't doing what required it any longer. Your county ag agent ought to know who to contact.

You go to a correspondence school (at home) on rules they send to you and take a test. Complete the test adequately and with $100 (then) you get a permit to purchase and spray what you want.

But big brother is watching (as it should be) and you need to play by the rules. If you have a license, hence know better, and do something stupid like kill the neighbors peach orchard because your pressure/nozzles weren't adjusted properly and the wind was too high, you can be in for an ouch.

Around here some things are regulated and some not. Usually when 10 acres or less are involved or you are working for yourself there is no requirement on the spraying.............but depending on the chemical you may not be able to buy it. On some chemicals you can buy it in the quart, but not the 2 1/2 gallon without a permit.

Mark

Here in NC it's no big deal. Allows you to buy restricted use pesticides. There is one for agricultural and one for commercial. In this state, custom spraying is not unheard of, but almost everyone does their own spraying.

Exactly, but in my case fewer weeds equals more hay equals more dollars for me. That is IF I don't break anything.
No offense to my neighbors but I doubt if I would trust them to plant anything on my place. I kind of like my fences, trees and cattle undamaged. James MIGHT know something about that. Lol

Passing the test is pretty easy if you remember some constants: square ft in an acre, perhaps feet in a mile, and so on. The main thing to remember is record keeping, once you have a license, you will probably at some point get inspected. Most states have an example record keeping form you can use. It usually includes product used and EPA registration #, targeted pest, crop, map, address or GPS of application site, acreage, wind/temp, and actual amount of product used. This is key to protecting yourself. I can"t tell you how many goats/horses/geese deaths that were blamed on me because the saw my spray equipment a few weeks before. Good record keeping will cover your @ss. Custom applicator of 22 years.