The Cass County Extension office will again host continuing instructional courses (CICs) for local private pesticide applicators this year, but applicators are strongly encouraged to pre-register to ensure admittance on the day of a scheduled show. To accommodate schedules and reduce class sizes, multiple methods and formats to attend the training will be offered from December-March. Any registered applicator in Cass County should have received a brochure in the mail in early December outlining upcoming training dates and options. Two types of trainings are currently scheduled in Cass County. A “Live Zoom” option will be offered monthly from December to March, with applicators attending the training in person at the office, and the instructor teaching the program remotely. A Face to Face option, with both the instructor and participants in the meeting room, will be offered in January and March. Individual or small group DVD showings are also available on a limited basis, as scheduling allows. All trainings, regardless of method, will be offered for the usual $20 fee to cover materials.

To follow social distancing recommendations, the Cass County Extension Office will be limiting attendance at CIC trainings. Individuals registering in advance will be guaranteed a seat, or informed if the showing is full and offered another date. Applicators showing up without registering on the scheduled date may be turned away if the meeting room is already at capacity for the day. Pre-registration can be done by calling, emailing or stopping by the office. Cass County Extension will be following all mandates as outlined by the Iowa Governor’s office, which currently means that attendees at indoor programs will be required to wear masks when unable to distance. Applicators needing additional options for no-contact re-shows are asked to call the Extension Office for information on available formats.

To ensure a spot on the training schedule, applicators needing to complete CIC for the year are asked to call as soon as possible to register for scheduled dates, or to reserve a DVD show time. Training dates can be scheduled locally by calling the Cass County Extension office at 712-243-1132 or by emailing Office Manager Lori Anderson at lander@iastate.edu. Individuals wishing to complete the training in another county should call that county for information, as training dates, availability and procedures vary by office. For more information on the Private Pesticide Applicator CIC classes statewide, please visit www.extension.iastate.edu/psep/. Applicators have until April 15, 2021, to attend a P-CIC program and maintain a current license.