Latest news with #Pesticide
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate Agriculture Committee reviews zoning, excavation, wasterwater bills
(Photo: NC Department of Agriculture 2018 Pesticide Report) The Senate Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee approved one bill and discussed two others during its hearing on Tuesday. Lawmakers voted to pass House Bill 126, titled 'Revise Voluntary Ag. District Laws,' without any discussion or testimony. This measure would require government agencies considering condemning or rezoning property within a voluntary agricultural district to hold a public hearing. There would be 45 days to set up the hearing and 120 days for the local agricultural advisory board to submit its findings and recommendations to the agency. 'At this point, I've heard no opposition to this bill,' primary sponsor Rep. Jimmy Dixon (R-Duplin, Wayne) said. The bill now heads to the Senate Rules Committee. Legislators also reviewed two bills for discussion only: House Bill 247 ('8-1-1 Amendments') and House Bill 694 ('Study Water/Wastewater Regionalization'). Sen. Michael Lazzara (R-Onslow) presented HB 247 to the panel, explaining the language would be replaced with text from Senate Bill 328, which updates the Underground Utility Safety and Damage Prevention Act. 'We just made the corrections to some of the language, but essentially, it's a consensus,' he said. Sen. Tom McInnis (R-Cumberland, Moore) said he appreciated the bill, seeing as he's had a lot of complaints about 8-1-1. That's the number individuals should call prior to excavating to ensure they don't encounter any buried utilities. 'We can't move forward in our state unless we have a cohesive unit of construction,' McInnis said. If this bill passes the panel, it will proceed to the Senate Rules Committee. It's the same case for HB 694, which would direct the Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina to study wastewater and water regionalization efforts. Sen. David Craven (R-Anson, Montgomery, Randolph, Richmond, Union) presented the legislation. Sen. Lisa Grafstein (D-Wake) asked about the Department of Environmental Quality's role in the process of transferring water between basins. 'This starts with a notice, then DEQ works with the water applicant to develop a draft environmental statement that looks at environmental impacts, it looks at alternatives to the water withdrawal, as well as several other things of that nature,' legislative analysis Kyle Evans said.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Private pesticide re-certification workshops begin soon
AGRICULTURAL AND FARM NEWS Farmers and private applicators that have their certification expire on March 1 have received a postcard in the mail from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. If you are not sure about your certification expiration date and if you don't get a postcard, you might need to check the date on your Private Pesticide Applicator card. The postcard says you can renew the certification by one of three options. You are welcome to use the option that works best for you. One option is to get a written test and manual from a County Extension Office. In some counties you can call and request a copy be mailed to you. If you need a new study manual there will likely be a fee for postage along with a $10 cost for the manual. The new tests and manuals are now available. The second option is to take the test online. The online test will be available shortly after Jan. 21. You will be able to find this on the Pesticide Safety and Environmental Education Website at You will need to use a credit card to pay the fee online and you will get a score as soon as you indicate you have completed the test. Check any information provided about computer capacity needed. The third option for renewing the certification will be to attend one of the workshops conducted by University of Minnesota Extension during January and February. To be approved by Minnesota Department of Agriculture, 3 hours of instruction time is required. Attend 15 minutes prior to the time of the workshop for registration purposes. Generally, workshops are scheduled for 3.5 hours to allow for a couple stretch breaks. Most all of the workshops do not have a lunch option. Note, individuals who are getting the certification for the first time or who have let the certification expire prior to March 1 are required to take one of the two test options and are not eligible to be recertified through a workshop. The workshops that are in or closest to the McLeod and Meeker County area include: Elrosa – 12:30 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, at Bucky's Bar Renville – 9 a.m to 12:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, at the Renville Community Center Cologne – 12:30 to 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, at the Cologne Community Center Willmar – 1 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, at the Kandi Entertainment Center Arlington – 1 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the Arlington Community Center Buffalo – 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at the Wright County Government Center Hutchinson – 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at the Hutchinson Event Center, State Highway 15 South. All PPAT workshop locations can be found at the website listed above, calling a county extension office or by contacting the University of Minnesota Extension Farm Info Line at 800-232-9077. Questions regarding any of the trainings can be directed to Extension Educator Nathan Winter at 320-484-4303 in McLeod County, or 320-693-5275 in Meeker County.
