Ohio State University Extension will be holding an agricultural fertilizer first-time certification webinar on March 25th, 2026, from 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM. This 3-hour training is for individuals who are obtaining their Ohio Agricultural Fertilizer Applicator Certification for the first time (not recertification). Agricultural Fertilizer Certification is required for those who apply fertilizer on more than 50 acres of agricultural production grown primarily for sale. Fertilizer is defined as any substance containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, or other plant nutrient in a dry or liquid formulation. All application types (broadcast, side dress, sub-surface, knifing, etc.) are included in the certification requirement. The only application placement exempted is start-up fertilizers that are applied through a planter. Certification is also required for any persons using manure from a permitted Confined Animal Feeding facility anywhere in Ohio. It is not required for lawn and landscape fertilizer applications.
This training will be held online as a webinar. Following the completion of this course, the education team will collect your information to be transferred to the Ohio Department of Agriculture. If you currently hold a pesticide license, your license information will then be updated to include fertilizer certification. If you do not hold a pesticide license, you will be sent an invoice to collect your certification fee. Once the fee is received by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, you will receive your fertilizer certification.
To register for this program, you can go to nutrienteducation.osu.edu/OnlineFertCert or contact the Ohio State University Pesticide Safety Education Program at 614-292-4070 or at pested@osu.edu. The cost for this program is $35.
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OSU Extension – Wayne County will be hosting a Small Farm College in April. This 10-hour small farm management college is designed to help landowners examine potential ways to increase profits from their small-acreage properties. The program is open to all new or aspiring farmers, new rural landowners, small farmers, and farm families looking for new ideas.
During this course, participants will be challenged to develop realistic expectations for their new farm business. Participants will receive information about getting started, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of their property, and developing a farm business plan.
This college runs over the course of 2 weeks. Each session will focus on a different topic. Session topics include Getting Started on Your New Farm Business, Farm Record Keeping, Budgets and Taxes, The Legal Side of Small Farm Management and The Financial Side of Small Farm Management.
The Wayne County Small Farm Management College dates are April 8, 9, 15 and 16. These sessions run from 6:30 PM – 9 PM. The cost is $60 for each person which covers your meals and supplies. This series will be held at the OSU CFAES Wooster Campus Fisher Auditorium, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, OH 44691.
Each family receives only one binder of resources. Participants are expected to attend every session. Dinner is provided at each session. Registration is required, please call OSU Extension Wayne County 330-264-8722 or email John Yost at yost.77@osu.edu.
The registration deadline is April 2, 2026 and space is limited to the first 25 paid registrations.
Frank Becker is the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator with Ohio State University Extension – Wayne County, and a Certified Crop Adviser, and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or becker.587@osu.edu
CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visit cfaes.osu.edu/nondiscrimination
This article was previously published in The Daily Record.