Soil Sampling Basics: Pulling Soil Cores and Submitting Samples

UW Soil and Forage Lab

Private & Commercial Pesticide Applicators: 2025 Recertification News

Private and commercial pesticide applicators with expired certifications will need to participate to renew their certifications. Manuals still need to be purchased online; no manuals available at county offices.

Please visit https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/pat/ for more information.

Private Applicator: A person who applies restricted-use (pesticide label identifies) pesticide to produce an agricultural commodity AND pesticides are applied on property that they own or rent, or their employer owns or rents. If an applicator does not meet

BOTH parts of the definition, they are considered commercial applicators. Examples of commercial applicators: Lawn care company or County Highway employee.

• Certification Validity: Certification is valid for 5 years.
• Certification Status Check: Applicators can check certification status here: http://www.kellysolutions.com/WI/Applicators/index.asp.
• Notifying expiring license holders: The PAT Program notifies farmers with expiring certifications, but it’s the farmer’s responsibility to track their status.

Training Materials:

• Everyone that would like to become Private Pesticide Applicator certified must purchase a manual.
  
  • Each person must have their own manual, as it includes a unique PAT Number on the certificate (needed when handing in the test). Those retaking within a year do not need the certificate.
  • Manuals cost $43.
• Applicators can only purchase manuals form the PAT Program website: https://patstore.wisc.edu/secure/collection/private/17
  Mail In forms can be accessed here or at your local Extension office.
• Manuals are delivered within 5-10 days at no charge. There is an additional shipping charge for rush delivery.

Learning the Material

• Self-study:
  • Self-study students purchase the manual, study independently, and test at a designated County Extension Office or Pearson VUE.

• Self-paced Online Training (Free for 2025):
  • Available at PAT website: UW PAT Store or register through this direct link.
  • Training must be completed within 2 weeks; otherwise, participants must re-register.
  • Online training takes approx. 3.5 hours. Stopping/starting throughout the training is allowed

• Extension-hosted Zoom Training (organized and hosted by Regional Crops Educators):
  • Registration costs $10 and must be completed in advance through the UW PAT Store.
  • Students must bring manual with certificate to the training
  • Dates and locations will be posted online.
  • Class is taught by Pesticide Application Training program staff over zoom

• In-person Training & Test:
  • Two in-person trainings will be held in 2025. Registration costs $10 and is available through the UW PAT Program.
  • Details will be posted on the Extension Calendar and UW PAT Program website.

• US Drought Monitor: WI https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?WI
• Manure Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast Tool: http://www.manureadvisorysystem.wi.gov/runoffrisk/index
• Determining the value of Standing Alfalfa: https://cropsandsoils.extension.wisc.edu/articles/determining-the-value-of-standing-alfalfa-in-2023/
• Pricing Corn Silage: https://wisccorn.blogspot.com/2013/09/B045.html
• Tools for Pricing Standing Corn Silage: https://cropsandsoils.extension.wisc.edu/articles/tools-for-pricing-standing-corn-silage/
• Converting Dry Corn Price (per bu) to an Equal Wet Corn Price (per bu): https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/crops/html/a2-32.html
• Equivalent Price / Ton of: High Moisture Shelled Corn
• Equivalent Price / Ton of: High Moisture Ear Corn
• Adjusting Corn Silage Price Based on Harvested Moisture[LG1] 

• Ag Water Quality Topic Hub – https://agwater.extension.wisc.edu/
• Cool Bean – Soybeans – https://coolbean.info/
• Crops & Soils Topic Hub: https://cropsandsoils.extension.wisc.edu/
• Small Grains Management – https://coolbean.info/small-grains/new-information/
• WI Cropping Systems Weed Science – https://wiscweeds.info/
• Renz Weed Science – Pastures & Forage – https://renzweedscience.cals.wisc.edu/
• Badger Crop Doc – https://badgercropdoc.com/
• Soil Science – https://extension.soils.wisc.edu/
• Integrated Pest & Crop Management – https://ipcm.wisc.edu/
• Discovery Farms Wisconsin – https://uwdiscoveryfarms.org/
• The Learning Store – UW Madison Division of Extension Publications – https://learningstore.extension.wisc.edu/collections/farming
• NRCS/FSA Offices: https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app

• Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic – https://pddc.wisc.edu/
• Insect Diagnostic Lab – https://insectlab.russell.wisc.edu/
• UW Soil & Forage Lab – https://uwlab.soils.wisc.edu/