Private Pesticide Applicator Training

Grant County Extension in coordination with Glenn Nice, University of Wisconsin Madison-Division of Extension Pesticide Applicator Training and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), and has announced that the State of Wisconsin will be providing Pesticide Applicator Training Sessions in 2023.  Private and commercial pesticide applicators with expired certifications will need to participate to renew their certifications.

Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) Books
You can order manuals online at the PAT Store https://patstore.wisc.edu with a credit card, or use a mail form available at https://go.wisc.edu/patbook and send it with a check. Manuals must be purchased online and can no longer be purchased at your local Extension offices.

In our area, in-person zoom trainings and tests will be held: (books still need to be purchased online; no books available at county offices)
Lancaster – March 3 – 9:00 am – 4:00 pm  (call 608-723-2125 to pre-register)
Dodgeville – April 7 – 9:00 am – 4:00 pm  (call 608-930-9850 to pre-register)

An in person live training will be held in our area on February 22, 2023 –rescheduled for March 10 due to bad weather that was on the previously scheduled date—, at the Dodger Bowl Lanes, 318 King St, Dodgeville, WI 53533. You can sign up online at the PAT Store https://patstore.wisc.ed. Please note this training will have an instructor in house from 9:00am -12:30pm to teach the information and a test session in the afternoon.

Online training –Available again this year!   MUST STILL TAKE TEST IN PERSON!
To navigate the online options, visit the PAT Store at https://patstore.wisc.eduScroll down to “Private Applicator Training” and select General Farming 100/101. Then chose B. “Online Private Applicator Training.”

Two types of training will be held this year. Online training can take the place of in-person training. From time of starting you will have 14 days to complete the training. Please keep the email with link to get back to the training if you leave it. Online training can be taken at any time. You will have access to training for 120 days of registration. The certification exam is given by the Extension office. Once you have completed the training, you will receive a Completion Receipt that you must show to the test proctor to be coded as attended a training. Register online for this training.

The other option is attending a Private Applicator Certification Trainings as a Zoom Webinar this year. Counties will be hosting the Zoom Webinars, however, each individual must still go online to purchase their book. To register for the County Zoom Webinar, please sign up in advance. Participants must be present for the whole training and the test afterward.

  • March 3rd, Hosting Zoom Webinar, Grant County Extension, Lancaster, WI
  • March 15th, Hosting Test Only Session, Grant County Extension, Lancaster, WI
  • March 20th, Hosting Test Only Session, Iowa County Extension, Dodgeville, WI
  • April 7th, Hosting Zoom Webinar (training and test), Iowa County Extension, Dodgeville, WI
Cost is free for the online webinar trainings. Available online trainings are on the following dates from 9:00am – 12:30pm. Following the Zoom Webinar, counties are able to offer the testing option immediately following the webinar.

If you choose an ZOOM training on the PAT Store, you will receive a zoom link and password a few days before the class. The class will start at 9am and end at approximately 12:30pm, and you can do this from home as your own personal ZOOM session. After successful completion of the online training, you will receive a receipt that you must bring with you to the test site when you take the test. This is required for the option of scoring 50% on the test.

In-person training and testing
Grant County Extension will be hosting one in person Pesticide Application Training Webinar and Testing session on March 3rd, 2023 at the Grant County Fairgrounds, 916 E. Elm Street, Lancaster, WI  53813.  Smart Phones are not allowed during the Pesticide Exam periods.  Participants must bring their own pencils and a calculator. You only need to attend one training session and there is no cost to attend. Books MUST BE purchased online prior to the session and you must register for the ZOOM session via the Register for County Zoom button above or by calling the Grant County Extension office at 608-723-2125. After a break for lunch on your own, the test will be given.

Grant County Private Applicator Training Webinar and Testing Information

If you completed the Classes Online (see class information below) and have the option to score 50%, you must have proof of completing the training by bringing your receipt.

REMINDERS:  

  Buy Book-$40 Classes or Self Study Book Test Score Required
Option 1 Online $40 Classes Online (must provide proof of completion) 50%
Option 2 Online $40 Self-Study Book 70%
Option 3 Online $40 Attend In-person Zoom Webinar at UWEX Office 50%
Option 4 Online $40 Attend In-person Zoom Webinar from Home (must provide proof) 50%

You will need to PRE-REGISTER for a testing session to take the test. To register at Grant County for March 3 or March 15 call 608-723-2125. (You do not need to pre-register for these sites online)

Pre-registration and purchase of materials is required for all the sessions.  To request special accommodations please do so at least one week in advance.  The manual should be reviewed in advance of taking the class.

Bring these materials to the testing session:

  1. Large manual – “Wisconsin Pesticide Applicator Training Manual-General Farming”
  2. Number 2 pencil
  3. Calculator (Optional, but must be something other than a Smart Phone as they are not allowed for use during the testing period.)
  4. Know your social security number

If you have additional questions, please contact the Extension Grant County Office  at 608-723-2125