Next Steps for Pesticide Applicators
Next Steps for Pesticide Applicators
We received updated information about the priorities of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) concerning pesticide applicators. Both the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and the Governor has been working with us to find solutions and we appreciate the priority they have placed on keeping the food system as uninterrupted as possible. Their efforts to keep agriculture running in these unprecedented times is greatly appreciated.
We are aware of the difficulty the industry is facing with the lack of certified applicator numbers in the face of needing to apply restricted-use pesticides such as dicamba. This continues to be an ongoing conversation and a high priority.
IDALS has shared with us they are working through regulatory relief to address pesticide applicator issues related to COVID-19 in a step-by-step process:
- The first step was to provide immediate options for those applicators who were certified as of Dec. 31, 2019.
- Provide options that address the cancellation of in-person testing sites for commercial and private applicator certification due to public health recommendations.
- Work with EPA and the Governor’s office to address other pesticide-related regulatory issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Below are questions IDALS has been receiving and the department’s answers to those questions.
Q&A – Answered by IDALS; Pesticide Applicator Certification
1) Once an applicator has his/her private applicator certification, can they apply dicamba and paraquat?
All applicators must follow pesticide label directions. We are in constant communication with EPA regarding pesticide label statements for these products and have requested clarification from EPA on the requirements of the federal label as they pertain to the distinction of ‘use’ by private vs. commercial applicators. However, there has been no change to label requirements granted thus far.
A) Do they receive their applicator license number at that point? I have heard applicators need to input that number when they apply chemicals like dicamba.
Applicators will be able to get their certified applicator number and pesticide company license number through the online pesticide portal.
These recent challenges have slowed the processing of paper submissions. Processing of paper submissions for private pesticide certifications is very close to being caught up and available through the online pesticide portal. There continues to be a delay in processing paper submissions for commercial applicator certifications and the team is working to complete them as soon as possible.
B) If they don’t receive their applicator number online (after they’ve paid for a license), is there a way they can continue to utilize those chemicals while waiting?
No, the applicator must follow all product label requirements. Dicamba and paraquat labels require a completed certification and applicator number.
2) After the proclamation expires, will there be any kind of grace period for the new commercial applicators that haven’t yet been able to take their in-person tests?
The regulatory relief only applies through the duration of the proclamation and any extensions. We recognize this as a potential issue and are in constant communication with the Governor’s office. We will work with her team to look for solutions to help ease the transition.
3) Can a person who already has a private applicator license go to work as a commercial applicator for an ag retailer only during this declaration period?
Yes, the provisions of the general supervision requirements apply to all private certified applicators. This includes all current private certified applicators, new private certified applicators, and private certified applicators who were certified as of 12/31/19. This regulatory relief only applies through the duration of this proclamation and any further extensions.
4) Is there any additional regulatory relief for aerial applicators since the commercial applicator waiver doesn’t apply to them?
Not at this time. Aerial applicators requirements go beyond the agricultural pesticide applicator categories (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D) and are outlined in a separate category (11), which means the standards of competency for aerial applicators are different than those of agricultural categories.
Continuing Communication
Restricted use pesticides add an additional layer of complication because it involves federal rules. We will continue to work with IDALS to get pesticide applicator issues handled so you can fill the critical need to keep the food supply functioning in the state and the country.
IDALS Offering More Options to Help Pesticide Applicators Get Certified
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Offering More Options to Help Pesticide Applicators Get Certified
Governor Reynolds extended the end date of the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration to April 30, 2020. As part of that decision, additional declaration language was added regarding commercial pesticide applicators who are not currently certified.
The declaration provides an opportunity for companies to hire new applicators during the Emergency Declaration period using the private applicator exam. See the full press release from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship for details.
We have been working diligently with Governor Reynolds and Secretary Naig on the commercial pesticide applicator certification issue.
We would like to thank the Governor and Secretary for their leadership in providing a solution in these difficult circumstances and continuing to recognize it is in the vital interest of the state and the country that the food production system in the United States remains as uninterrupted as possible.
Additional Information
The COVID-19 pandemic has created delays in processing and mailing pesticide applicator cards and certifications. Applicators can view the status of their certifications on the Department’s public search portal.
For more information, contact the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Pesticide Bureau at [email protected] or 515-281-8591.
Federal Agencies Provide Guidance to Researchers in Response to COVID-19
Federal Agencies Provide Guidance to Researchers in Response to COVID-19
Due to the disruptions arising from the national response to COVID-19, multiple federal agencies are making adjustments to their procedures, including extending deadlines for grant solicitations. USDA NIFA has extended deadlines for several solicitations. NSF has released FAQ documents on grant deadlines, travel, and review panelists. NSF has also released a Dear Colleague letter soliciting proposals to conduct non-medical, non-clinical-care research on the transmission, prevention, and communication of COVID-19. The DOE-Office of Science has issued an extension for grant applications and further instructions on progress reports and travel. The DOE also launched a task force that will coordinate its resources to study coronavirus and other public health issues.
Federal Agencies Respond to COVID-19
The national response to COVID-19 is impacting every aspect of American lives, including the scientific enterprise. Many federal research agencies have issued guidance for researchers with regard to grant submission deadlines, travel, and review panels. View ASA Resource Website.
2020 International CCA of the Year: Heart In Soil Health
During the 2020 Commodity Classic and American Society of Agronomy (ASA) Annual Meeting, 2019 Iowa Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) of the Year, Adam Kramer was named the International CCA of the Year.
Adam Kramer is a small business owner in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin and Waukon, Iowa farmer, he was awarded the Iowa CCA of the Year during an annual award luncheon at the Agribusiness Showcase & Conference (ASC) on February 12, 2019.
A certified crop adviser utilizes best management practices that protect the environment and lead growers to produce higher yields and increased profitability for their farms. Farmers and employers prefer to work with CCAs because they have demonstrated commitment, education, expertise, and experience to make a difference in a client’s business.
The Iowa Certified Crop Adviser of the Year Award is designed to recognize a CCA who delivers exceptional customer service, is highly innovative, has shown that they are a leader in their field, and has contributed substantially to the exchange of ideas and the transfer of agronomic knowledge within the agriculture industry. The Iowa CCA program then nominates the annual Iowa CCA of the Year for the ASA award of International CCA of the Year.
Heart In Soil Health
– by FarmJounal AgPro
It can feel like walking a tight rope as farmers work to improve soil health and yields simultaneously. And on that trajectory, consultant Adam Kramer aims to meet farmers where they are on their journey—be a bit of a stabilizing and encouraging force.
“The first thing I do when starting to work with a farmer is go to their fields, do an assessment, see what their capabilities are, and talk about their goals,” Kramer says. “And it’s important to see through the producer’s eyes what is happening in the field, so we can put together the right practices.”
His commitment to focusing on the farmer-led Kramer to being named the 2020 International Certified Crop Adviser of the Year.
Kramer’s business, Black Sand Granary, offers soil testing, data management, cover crop consulting, and equipment retrofits. He’s been self-employed since graduating with an agronomy degree from Iowa State University, and his consulting is based in southwest Wisconsin, along with some acreage he farmers in northern Iowa and uses as a demonstration farm. His consulting is focused on soil health with an eye on short-term and long-term impacts on profitability.
“You don’t change 1,000 acres at a time, you try things a bit at a time,” he says. “We’ve been on some of the same farms since 2006. On every farm, we soil test, run data for cropping plans, and serve as another set of eyes for production decisions.”
He says the biggest part of being a crop consultant is just the drive to want to help people.
“It’s about helping farmers mitigate risks while raising top-end yields—and doing it in a profitable way,” he says. “And it gets really exciting when they cross one threshold, master a skill, and then they are already looking for the next thing to do better. The farmers do all the work; as an adviser, I’m challenging them to do what they are capable of.”
Kramer has a natural curiosity about challenging assumptions about the status quo, and he has a deep respect for the environment. Intertwined, those have fueled a lot of ideas he’s tried and shared with farmers.
“I’m always trying to get lean, find efficiencies,” he says.
As an example, the equipment part of his consulting includes rebuilding planters and drills for no-till and cover crops.
That system has shown increased water infiltration, improved organic matter, and reduced tillage and horsepower requirements for the farming operation.
When reflecting on his career and this award, Kramer gives credit to his wife Kellie, employees and partners at Black Sand Granary, and all of the academic mentors he had at Iowa State.
As the recipient, Kramer received hotel and travel expenses to the 2020 Commodity Classic and American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting, a $2,000 honorarium, a commemorative plaque, and a one-year membership in the American Society of Agronomy.
Bockenstedt Named 2020 Iowa Certified Crop Adviser of the Year
Des Moines, IA – The Iowa Certified Crop Advisers (CCA) has named Terry Bockenstedt, a crop consultant with Nutrien Ag Solutions from Dyersville, 2020 Iowa CCA of the Year. He accepted this annual award during the Iowa CCA recognition luncheon at the Agribusiness Showcase & Conference (ASC) on February 11, 2020.
Iowa Certified Crop Adviser board chairman, Dan Eklund (left), presents Terry Brockenstedt (right) of Dyersville with the 2020 Iowa CCA of the Year award and his 25 years of service plaque during an awards luncheon on February 11, 2020.
A certified crop adviser utilizes best management practices that protect the environment and lead growers to produce higher yields and increase profitability for their farms. Farmers and employers prefer to work with CCAs because they have demonstrated commitment, education, expertise, and experience to make a difference in a client’s business.
The Iowa Certified Crop Adviser of the Year Award is designed to recognize a CCA who delivers exceptional customer service, is highly innovative, has shown they are a leader in their field and has contributed substantially to the exchange of ideas and the transfer of agronomic knowledge within the agriculture industry.
Bockenstedt grew up on a farm just southeast of Petersburg, Iowa, in Delaware County, and graduated from Western Dubuque High School in Epworth, Iowa, in 1971. He started working for Crop Production Services, now Nutrien, in northeast Iowa in 1974. He has always had an eye on environmentally and economically sound practices. Due to the northeastern Iowa terrain, he is committed to advising his growers to place fertilizer where needed to promote stewardship of the land and environment. He was one of the first in the area to begin using grid sampling and variable rate technology for spreading fertilizer and believes that CCAs have a responsibility to do what is right for the grower and the future of agriculture’s stewardship of the land.
Brockenstedt has earned the Environmental Respect Award from Crop Life Magazine for the first time at a Dyersville, Iowa, location in 2006, and a second time at a Worthington, Iowa, location in 2008. The past four years, he has been working extensively with vineyard growers in Iowa, demonstrating his commitment to helping growers. Nominated by his peers, he was awarded the Outstanding Industry Partner Award in 2019 from the Iowa Wine Growers Association.
Not only is Brockenstedt committed to his growers, but he is also committed to his company. Over the years, he has mentored managers at other Nutrien locations and even working with college interns during the summer at many the Nebraska and Iowa locations.
Currently, he is a board member of the Local Emergency Planning Committee for Dubuque County. He and his wife, Gloria, currently live in Dyersville.
Over 150 Iowa Certified Crop Advisers Recognized for Years of Service at Awards Luncheon
Des Moines – The Iowa Certified Crop Advisers (CCA) board of directors recognized one hundred fifty-three individuals for their dedication to best management practices, professionalism, and years of service to agriculture. The Iowa CCA program celebrated twenty-eight individuals for fifteen years (certified in 1995), thirty-eight individuals for twenty years (certified in 2000), and eighty-seven individuals for twenty-five years (certified in 2005) – view award flyers.
Recognitions were held during the Iowa CCA Years of Service luncheon on Tuesday, February 11, 2020. The luncheon is annually held in conjunction with the Agribusiness Showcase & Conference (ASC) in Des Moines, Iowa. Certified Crop Advisers utilize best management practices that protect the environment and lead growers to produce higher yields and increase profitability for their farms.
The Iowa CCA board also presented the “Iowa CCA of the Year” award to Terry Bockenstedt of Dyersville, Iowa. Bockenstedt has been an agronomy professional advising farmer customers since 1974 and became certified in 1995. The Iowa CCA of the Year Award is designed to recognize a CCA who delivers exceptional customer service, is highly innovative, has shown that they are a leader in their field, and has contributed substantially to the exchange of ideas and the transfer of agronomic knowledge within the agriculture industry.
At the conference, approximately two hundred CCAs received continuing education training to maintain their certification. The 2020 ASC offered over a dozen hours of continuing education units (CEUs). An Iowa CCA must accumulate a total of forty hours of CEUs every two years to maintain their certification.
The Agribusiness Showcase & Conference provides attendees the opportunity to explore the innovative tools they need to enhance their careers and grow their business. Save the date for next year’s event on February 9 & 10, 2021. For more information visit www.agribizshowcase.com.
The Iowa Certified Crop Adviser Program is supported at the national level by the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) Certified Crop Adviser Program. The CCA certification was established in 1992 to provide a benchmark for practicing agronomy professionals in the United States. CCAs meet examination, education, experience, and ethical standards that assure their competency as a partner to the producer in achieving the most from their farm. For more information on the Iowa CCA program, please go to http://iowacca.org or the American Society of Agronomy https://www.certifiedcropadviser.org
More photos of the event available on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pg/agribusinessia/photos/?tab=album&album_id=3032069810166279
Years of Service – 25 Years, Certified in 1995 (87 individuals)
Iowa Certified Crop Advisers (CCA) Program awards local agronomy professionals “Years of Service” plaques for 15, 20, and 25 years as an Iowa CCA during an awards luncheon in Des Moines at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
David Aude Dewitt IA
Joe Auliff Eldridge IA
Dave Baack Clear Lake IA
Wayne Barnes Iowa City IA
Carl Bergstrom Ogden IA
Jeff Blauwet Larchwood IA
Terrence Bockenstedt Dyersville IA
Darrell Bowman Redfield IA
Thomas Brincks Carroll IA
Boyd Brodie Roland IA
Lawrence Buck Lime Springs IA
Tracy Cameron Lenox IA
David Chambers Orchard IA
Charles Cornelius Bellevue IA
Tim Dacken Ames IA
Edward Drake Corning IA
Alan Fairley Monticello IA
Roger Fish Eldora IA
James Frederick Orient IA
Dennis Gogerty New Providence IA
John Grandin Spring Hill KS
Gregory Griffin Crawfordsville IA
James Gruenhagen Davenport IA
Robert Gubbels Defiance IA
Leslie Handley Sac City IA
John Haney Lincoln NE
Robert Hanson Milford IA
Therese Hart Beswick Greeley IA
Jack Hiles Ankeny IA
David Jakoubek Garner IA
William Johnson Cedar Rapids IA
Scott Johnson Garwin IA
Roger Kenkel Manilla IA
Mark Klein Dunlap IA
Timothy Knutson Wapello IA
Charles Kolbet Manchester IA
Kelvin Kopp Anita IA
Kevin Kuhn Des Moines IA
James Lafrenz Maysville IA
Brett Langfritz Allison IA
Denny Lawrence Wall Lake IA
Danny Leerar Williams IA
William Long Cedar Falls IA
Leonard Luebker Columbus NE
Timothy Lueders Lake Park IA
Max McCoy Norwalk IA
Jim McDermott Spencer IA
Gary Mensen Dyersville IA
Brent Metzger Nevada IA
Tim Montgomery Lone Tree IA
Mitchell Montgomery Fort Dodge IA
Thomas Moorhouse Manchester IA
Donald Mulder Ireton IA
Joel Nelson Carroll IA
Eric Nelson Moville IA
Brent Neuberger West Des Moines IA
Curtis Nienhueser York NE
Phil Petersen Tipton IA
Norman Pottebaum Manchester IA
Rusty Raper Fontanelle IA
Jay Richter Bancroft IA
Scott Roberts Panora IA
R. Aaron Saeugling Lewis IA
Troy Schlapkohl Durant IA
David Schwartz Ankeny IA
Jeffrey Sernett Kelley IA
David Shields Mount Ayr IA
David Simonson Algona IA
Aaron Smith Cherokee IA
Barbara Stewart Newton IA
Robert Streit Ames IA
Scott Svoboda Atlantic IA
Todd Thumma Morrison IL
Mark Tinnes Keota IA
R. Hovey Tinsman Davenport IA
Gary Tuxhorn Crete NE
Allen Van Grouw Springfield MN
Troy Vincent West Branch IA
Michael Wagner Clarence IA
Daniel Weber Ames IA
David Weiskircher DeWitt IA
Brian Williams Boone IA
Thomas Winkel Algona IA
Ronald Woeste Marion IA
Alex Woodall Kamrar IA
Mark Young Knoxville IA
Eric Zumbach Springville IA
Years of Service – 20 Years, Certified in 2000 (38 individuals)
Clark Adam Postville IA
Stacy Bellcock Sac City IA
Dennis Benning Hampton IA
Marc Benson Winfield IA
Joseph Bollig Algona IA
Tim Bruns West Bend IA
Jon Buseman Rockford IA
Leslie Alan Clampitt New Providence IA
Kelly Els Pella IA
Lynn Fisher Keswick IA
Jeffrey Fitzgerald Newhall IA
Jason Michael Franck Rowley IA
Jeffrey Giesman Clear Lake IA
Tony Gross Manilla IA
Terry Grote La Porte City IA
Brian Hartman Des Peres MO
Martin Hegland Holmen WI
Pat Holloway Adel IA
Jeffrey Hough Lincoln NE
Chad Kunzman Hartley IA
Larry Lahr Cedar Rapids IA
John Long Sidney IA
Larry D. McCaulley Maquoketa IA
Neil McCubbin Marshalltown IA
Rodd McNeal Letts IA
Mike Perkins Rake IA
Ryan Peterson Pocahontas IA
Brian Renze Ames IA
Stan Schaaf Villisca IA
Bruce Schmidt LeMars IA
Gregg Schmitz Wall Lake IA
Joe Shirbroun Farmersburg IA
Chad Sieren Keota IA
David Slechta Carroll IA
Barry Tlach Prole IA
James Torkelson Mason City IA
Nick Vandervort Cresco IA
Evan D. Wielenga Hull IA
Years of Service – 15 Years, Certified in 2005 (28 individuals)
Bryan Arndorfer Bancroft IA
Ryan Burns Marion IA
Scott Fischer Melbourne IA
Michael Fredrickson Newark IL
Bob Gannon Delmar IA
Brett Gregory Montezuma IA
Phillip Hill Fredericksburg IA
Jeremy Ide Creston IA
Daniel Jacobsma Sheldon IA
Kyle Jensen Neola IA
Jason Alan Jensen Milo IA
Andrew Richard Krogman Doon IA
Jay Matthews New Hampton IA
Paul Mausser Epworth IA
Michael Mitchell New Sharon IA
Merlen Noess Sac City IA
Leonard Phillips Madrid IA
Adam Rahe Dyersville IA
Ronald Roling Cascade IA
Abraham Sandquist Woodbine IA
Andrew Scharnhorst Plainfield IA
Lance Allan Scott Avoca IA
Patrick Thilges Algona IA
Levi Tipton Cary NC
Keith Tranel Aredale IA
Peter Westra Hull IA
Brian Wischmeier Mediapolis IA