Press release

Farmers who apply fertilizer on more than 50 acres are being encouraged to obtain their fertilizer applicator certification before this year’s planting season. The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) is asking farmers to attend a training session being conducted by The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Certification is administered and issued by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Early certification for farmers is one of the goals of OFBF’s million dollar Water Quality Action Plan.

“Ohio farmers are natural stewards of soil and water and we all know we play an important role in protecting Ohio’s water,” said Steve Hirsch, Ohio Farm Bureau President. “Through this fertilizer training and certification process, farmers are implementing new methods and technologies to produce good and abundant food while maintaining safe water for all Ohioans.”

Thousands of farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin and across the state have already obtained their fertilizer applicator certificates and are working to keep fertilizer from getting into lakes and waterways. The Farm Bureau is also encouraging farmers to adopt and develop nutrient management plans to use the right fertilizer source at the right rate, at the right time and at the right place.

With the passage of Senate Bill 150 in 2014, Ohio became the first state to require anybody who applies commercial fertilizer to more than 50 acres for agricultural purposes to be certified no later than September 30, 2017. Applying fertilizer without certification could result in fines and/or misdemeanor charges.

Below is a list of sessions that are currently scheduled in North Central Ohio. For future training dates and locations, please visit ofb.ag/FertCertification or call 614-292-4070 for more information.

North Central Ohio
(Ashland, Crawford, Erie, Huron, Ottawa, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Wood and Wyandot Counties)

February 11, 2016
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The Ripley Church
4130 Edwards Road
Greenwhich, OH 44837

February 16, 2016
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Longview Center
1495 Longview Avenue
Mansfield, OH 44906

February 17, 2016
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Attica Fairgrounds
100 Fairgrounds Road
Attica, OH 44807

February 23, 2016
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
North Central Ag Dealer
100 Industrial Drive
New London, OH 44857

March 9, 2016
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
OSU Extension – Huron County
180 Milan Avenue
Norwalk, OH 44857

March 10, 2016
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Wood County Fairgrounds
13800 W. Poe Road
Bowling Green, OH 43402

March 15, 2016
3 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Crawford County Fairgrounds
610 Whetstone St.
Bucyrus, OH 44820

March 21, 2016
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Seneca County Public Safety Building
100 Hopewell Avenue
Tiffin, OH 44883

March 28, 2016
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Ottawa County Fairgrounds
7870 State Route 163
Oak Harbor, Ohio 43449

March 30, 2016
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
EHOVE Career Center
316 W. Mason Road
Milan, OH 44846