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Minnesota has more than 16,000 thousand certified Private Pesticide Applicators. These applicators generally are farmers or other persons producing an agricultural commodity and using Restricted Use Pesticides (RUP) to control insects, diseases, weeds, or other pests in their production operation. 

New legislative amendments require that any individual involved in the application or pre and post application activities, such as a mixing, loading, or handling, of a Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP) must hold a private applicator certification.

Pre and post application activities include, but not limited:

• to transporting or storing opened RUP pesticide containers;
• disposing of excess pesticides;
• mixing spray;
• cleaning equipment, pesticide containers, or other materials that contain a RUP.

The mixer/loader/handler (for RUP only) certification will have the same certification requirements as the applicator. Only one certification is needed to do all these jobs.

The applicator, mixer, loader, or handler must be 18 years or older to apply for a private applicator certification. There is no grandfathering for minimum age.

The 2026 Private Pesticide Applicator program will close on October 31. This includes both the mail-in and online exams. If you decide to take the Private Pesticide Applicators test, it must be postmarked by October 31, 2026, or sooner or it will be returned to you.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, there are no more mail-in exams. All exams must be proctored. That means no more open-book exams taken at home in 2027. For this reason, if you need the Private Pesticide Applicators license, take it now so you may have it postmarked by October 31st. If you already have the Private Pesticide Applicator license and need to recertify it, make sure you attend a workshop this winter. The workshop in Thief River Falls will be held at Northland Community and Technical College on February 12th from 1-4:30 pm.

If you have any questions, call Grant Nelson at Pennington County Ag Services from 7:30 to 12:30 at 218-683-7020 or email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The fall season presents an opportunity for those who wish to treat infestations of buckthorn. 

Common and Glossy buckthorn are both classified as noxious weeds by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and are an invasive plant. This shrub or small tree has become a major threat to North American ecosystems.  It can outcompete native vegetation and it is a favorite place to overwinter for the soybean aphid.

Fall is an opportune time to treat buckthorn as it retains its green leaves long after most other trees have gone dormant. It stands out and is easier to treat plus there is less chance of overspray killing native trees. 

If you have buckthorn on your property, now is the time to treat it. Pennington County AG Services and Pennington Soil and Water Conservation District have advice on how to treat your buckthorn. They also have buckthorn blaster kits used to treat buckthorn using the “cut-stump” method. These kits are available for free, while they last, to Pennington County residents who have a sincere interest in removing buckthorn from their property.

Contact Pennington County Ag Services from 7:30-12:30 at 218-683-7030 or Pennington SWCD at 218-683-7075 for more information.

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