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Central Lower Michigan Restricted Use Pesticide Credit Opportunities

By Monica Jean

It’s restricted use pesticide (RUP) renewal season, and you may be wondering what credits do I have, where can I get more or how can I take the test? You can check your current credits on the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) website by your license number. If you need to switch credits from category to core or if you have questions, reach out to MDARD-pesticide@michigan.gov. If you need additional credits, you can find seminar information on the MDARD website or see the list below of what we are currently offering in the central Lower Michigan area.

Michigan State University Extension (MSU Extension) is in the middle of scheduling a lot of review/credit opportunities, so feel free to contact your local MSU Extension educator for additional opportunities. If you need to take the core test, MSU Extension is partnering with the MDARD to offer 20 review and testing locations throughout Michigan. If these don’t work for you, there are also metro sites where you can schedule testing.

In-person credit opportunities

Online credit opportunities

Stop by any local MSU Extension office to purchase core review booklets. You can also purchase category and core books on the National Pesticide Safety Education Center website.

Source : msu.edu

Trending Video

Supplemental Nitrogen on Soybeans: Can Early Nitrogen Increase Yield?

Video: Supplemental Nitrogen on Soybeans: Can Early Nitrogen Increase Yield?

Can supplemental nitrogen help soybeans reach higher yield potential? Technical Agronomist Tim Sickman walks through an ongoing trial at the Nutrien Innovation Farm in Owensboro, Kentucky, exploring whether a modest amount of nitrogen applied at planting can support higher-yielding soybean environments.

The trial compares 30 pounds of supplemental nitrogen across both 15- and 30-inch rows, along with treatments that include sulfur and micronutrients. Similar trials conducted in 2024 and 2025 delivered a six- to seven-bushel yield response, prompting the team to expand the research this season.

Early observations show that treated soybeans are slightly taller and averaging about two additional nodes on the main stem. These added nodes could create more opportunities for blooms and pods, but the true results will come at harvest when the team evaluates pod development, seed fill and final yield.

In This Video:

Why high-yield soybeans may need supplemental nitrogen

Results from the 2024 and 2025 trials

Nitrogen treatments in 15- and 30-inch rows

Fertilizer placement and application methods

Differences in plant height and node counts

Potential effects on pod development and yield