There are 10 training opportunities for licensed operators to take the Field Crop exam and be upgraded to the definition of "certified commercial applicator" in order to apply dicamba to soybean in 2019.  The new labels require the product to be applied only by certified applicators.  IFCA continues to work alongside Ag Retailers Association to see if any discretion can be given to states like Illinois where licensed operators have taken and passed the General Standards exam and have been allowed to apply other restricted use pesticides for decades as licensed commercial operators.  We are still hopeful something can be done but also have to move forward given the thousands of operators who potentially need to pass the field crop exam this winter.  If anything changes we will let you know immediately.  

 

We have worked with UI to offer additional training and testing opportunities for the field crop category.  The dates and locations of these training clinics are below.  Seats are still available in all of these clinics EXCEPT MT VERNON, which is full.  

 

Nov 28 in Springfield 

Dec 6 in Sandwich

Dec 20 in Mt. Vernon (class is full)

Jan 8 in Champaign 

Jan 16 in Peoria

Jan 18 in Utica

Jan 25 in Carterville

Jan 28 in Peoria during IFCA Convention - register on-line at www.ifca.com/convention

Feb 8 in Jacksonville

Feb 11 in Champaign

 

To register call the Pesticide Safety Education Program at 800.644.2123 or go on-line at www.pesticidesafety.illinois.edu

 

In order to be a licensed certified applicator in Illinois, you must pass both the general standards and field crop exams.  If you were not due to take your GS exam this year, but take and pass field crops, if you take the GS exam again this winter or anytime in the calendar year 2019 you can sync your testing schedule and then everything will be good for 3 years.  If you still had a few years left on your GS exam, IDA cannot issue a "credit" for the fee you paid for your operator license but when you pass the FC exam, they can upgrade you to a certified commercial applicator license for $60 (which is the difference between the cost of a 3 year operator license and a 3 year applicator license).   We know it's confusing but please feel free to call with questions or talk to the IDA staff who will be present to perform the testing at the clinics.