Farmer Pesticide Certificate Program 2021 update

Jan 28, 2021

This program covers important aspects of pesticide use on farms.

‘Like most things in 2020, the Farmer Pesticide Certificate Program has undergone some changes,’ says Devon Smiegielski, pesticide certification specialist with Alberta Environment and Parks. ‘The training material and information regarding the program is now housed on the Alberta Environment and Parks website.’

New and recertifying applicators will continue to work through their agricultural fieldman to obtain farmer certification.

‘Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, certified trainers are permitted to offer the training course online, provided participation is tracked through either the use of video or polls and quizzes.’

The duration of the training will remain the same length of 8 hours regardless if the training occurs online or in person. Smiegielski adds all exams will be administered in person following the Alberta Heath Services guidelines and restrictions at the time.

Trainers who require more information, attendance sheets or temporary certificates should contact pesticide certification specialist Devon Smiegielski.

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Video: Learning to Wrench From Dad the Hard Way

Harvest is a week out and the farm picked this week to fall apart. The truck needs a battery, the barn curtain's got a problem, and the corn and beans are telling us we're out of time to get it all fixed.

So it's a full day of wrenching. Tork supervises while I get the truck back running, then we're out at the hog barn where one rusted up part has the whole curtain system hung up. Ladder work, cable work, and a little dad-and-son disagreement about the right way to do it. We close it out walking the fields, shelling beans and checking corn, because whether everything's fixed or not, harvest starts when harvest starts.

Chapters: 00:00 Everything breaks the week before harvest 01:00 Tork supervises while I fix the truck 12:30 Out to the barn to find the curtain problem 14:30 One rusty part hung up the whole curtain 20:00 Running the curtain cable from the ladder 24:00 Walking the beans and corn before harvest 26:30 Wrapping up

We're a 6th generation family farm in southeast Iowa showing the real ups and downs of pig farming and row crop farming. No script, just the work. Subscribe and follow along.

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