Spring arrived a few weeks ago, and it finally feels like spring weather has arrived too. While there’s still a chance of a frosty morning or a late snow, those multi-day winter storms appear to be behind us. It’s a beautiful time of year for a drive through rural Missouri. New calves, lambs, and foals speckle the landscape, and fieldwork is well underway for the 2025 growing season. According to the Ag Statistics Service, a few acres in the Show-Me State are already planted. Judging by my social media feed, this week’s planting progress report should jump even more.

This time of year, farmers spend long days prepping for spring planting. Among those tasks is a new requirement for Private Pesticide Applicator Training (PPAT).

PPAT trains farmers and farmworkers in proper chemical handling and application procedures, helping to prevent misuse and reduce potential harm. The University of Missouri (MU) Extension’s Commercial Pesticide Training program has already closed for the year, but a few sessions remain open for Private Pesticide Applicator Training (PPAT).

A significant change took effect on January 1, 2025: farm staff are no longer allowed to apply Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP) treatments under the supervision of a licensed applicator. There is no grace period. Even if the primary licensed applicator’s certification is still valid for another year, any workers who previously applied treatments under that license must now obtain their own PPAT certification.

According to MU Extension, all individuals who will apply RUPs—whether farmers or farmworkers—must obtain or renew their PPAT certification. This includes completing pesticide safety training every five years. To be eligible for a license, participants must also be directly involved in the production of agricultural commodities.

Another update to PPAT requires applicators to be retrained or recertified in the Category 20-Private Applicator curriculum, sometimes referred to as Core but different from Commercial Pesticide Applicator Training (CPAT), and any of the three new licensed categories they might need. These three categories include:

  • Category 21-Soil Fumigation
  • Category 22-Non-Soil/Stored Feed Fumigation
  • Category 23-Aerial Application

An update to the CPAT Program requires applicators to be retrained or recertified in the CORE curriculum, as well as in all licensed categories they hold, not just their most-used category.
Fewer than half a dozen in-person training sessions remain this year. The final in-person course is May 15 in Waynesville. A full schedule and more information are available on the MU Extension website.

If the remaining in-person dates don’t work, there are now two alternative options:

  • A self-paced online training portal
  • An exam administered by MDA through Pearson Vue

PPAT certification ensures compliance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) requirements. The training fee is $75.

First-time participants should also have a copy of MU Extension publication M87 (PPAT Manual). Manuals and additional resources are available at your local extension office or online through the MU Extension website.