In recent years, the district has seen an increase in the number of chemigation permits granted as producers are continuing to adopt chemical and fertilizer application through their irrigation systems as a practice to increase their crop yields. Chemigation, sometimes called fertigation, uses a center pivot or subsurface drip irrigation system to apply fertilizer and/or pesticides to growing crops.

Chemigation is an environmentally friendly method to apply fertilizer and pesticide to a growing crop by spoon-feeding the plant’s nutrient needs based on the yield goal and growth stage of the crop.  It also saves time and labor by not having to go over a field multiple times for equipment applications.  

To legally chemigate in Nebraska, a person who applies chemicals through their irrigation system must complete a chemigation safety course and pass a written exam, offered through the University of Nebraska Lincoln and Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE). The chemigation certification program serves as an important tool to educate producers about the Nebraska Chemigation Act, chemigation rules and regulations set by the NDEE, and as an overall tool on safe chemical application practices. 

It is not only required to obtain certification to chemigate, the NRD also requires an active and site-specific permit to apply chemicals through an irrigation system. Permit holders for their specific injection site(s) must have at least one up-to-date certified applicator listed, whether it be themselves or any person operating equipment used to apply chemicals through their irrigation system.

The failure to 1) obtain a chemigation permit for each application system and 2) use a certified applicator in all chemigation activities may result in legal enforcement, including the suspension or revocation of a chemigation permit, the revocation of an applicator’s certification, civil penalties of up to $5,000 per day per application site, or criminal penalties under the Nebraska Chemigation Act.   

Certification courses are offered online and in-person at multiple locations and dates throughout the state every year. To find out more information about upcoming chemigation training course dates and locations near you, contact our NRD office or your county’s UNL Extension office. You can find training materials and links to dates and locations for in-person events here. Training dates for 2023 will be published in December 2022. Online training is available year-round, but it is prudent to wait until January 1 to complete the module to maximize the length of benefit of your certification (certification is good for three years, starting January 1). The online training takes 2-4 hours to complete and includes videos and a 50 question test. New videos are being developed for the online training and are expected to be available in 2023.

Questions? Please call the NRD office at 402-362-6601.