Private pesticide applicator training in full swing statewide
March 2, 2025
By Sarah Cato
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Fast facts
- UADA offers statewide private pesticide applicator training for farmers, ranchers
- Training mandatory for restricted-use pesticides
- Training available in-person and online
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LITTLE ROCK — Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural professionals are working to get their private pesticide applicator training completed before planting season kicks off — and extension offices across the state are making sure there are ample opportunities.
In Arkansas, private applicators using restricted-use pesticides must undergo specific training and certification. The Cooperative Extension Service provides the training, and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture is responsible for testing and licensing.
The Cooperative Extension Service, the outreach arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, provides an online training option, and in-person training sessions are offered at county offices.
Ples Spradley, extension pesticide safety education specialist for the Division of Agriculture, said that while the online training option is popular, “many farmers still prefer the in-person training with their county agent.”
“In our in-person training, county agents cover everything an applicator would need to know to safely and legally apply restricted-use pesticides,” Spradley said. “This includes state and federal regulations, environmental concerns, pesticide drift, equipment calibration, Worker Protection Standards and more.”
Who is this training for?
“We have three groups of applicators that we train,” said Courtney Spinks, pesticide safety education program associate for the Division of Agriculture. “The private applicator training is specifically for individuals who use restricted-use pesticides to produce agricultural commodities on property owned or rented by them or their employer.
“We also provide separate, online-only training for commercial applicators who apply pesticides for hire, and for non-commercial applicators who use restricted-use pesticides like researchers and county agents,” she said.
Additionally, a pesticide license is neither required nor available for home gardeners, as restricted-use pesticides are not labeled for home gardens.
Where is my license?
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has recently stopped mailing out physical licenses. For those who have completed training through the Division of Agriculture and testing and licensing through the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agriculture will email a digital copy.
Those who have recently acquired licenses can also find them in the online search tool.
Farmers and ranchers interested in attending nearby, in-person private pesticide applicator training can find upcoming training sessions on the Division of Agriculture event calendar.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
Sarah Cato
Cooperative Extension Service
980-815-9035
scato@uada.edu