University of Illinois Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP)

06/03/2026

The 2026 Agrichemical container recycling program schedule is available!
☑📆Check the full article to determine your recycling options.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) has announced the single-day collection sites and dates for the 2026 Pesticide Container Recycling Program.

04/24/2026

Curious about what’s being debated in Springfield this spring? State legislators are considering several bills related to pesticide use and regulation. Get an overview of the proposals and what they could mean here:

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/pesticide-news/2026-04-24-2026-illinois-bills-concerning-pesticides

04/08/2026

Have you seen it? The latest issue of the Illinois Pesticide Review is available and contains the following:
📌Grain Facility and Livestock Manuals revised, tests offered online
📌Do you still need training and testing to apply pesticides?
📌Household hazardous material collection events scheduled for spring 2026
📌Behind the scenes: how regulations are used to manage invasive species
📌Corn Gluten Meal: Can it naturally prevent weeds and feed your lawn?
https://extension.illinois.edu/newsletters/illinois-pesticide-review-newsletter/marchapril-2026

04/08/2026

Household hazardous material collection events scheduled for spring 2026 - Learn how and where to dispose of unwanted pesticides!

Spring is the perfect time for cleaning your chemical storage area and disposing of any old or unwanted pesticides. To assist with this effort, the Illinois EPA

04/02/2026

If online exams aren't for you or if you want to avoid the online proctoring fee, you still have a chance to take your exam in person and get licensed.

📍 Upcoming In-Person Exam Sessions:

Southern Illinois: Carterville — April 9
Central Illinois: Springfield — April 9 (and additional dates available)
Northern Illinois: DeKalb — multiple dates available

Register here: https://agr.illinois.gov/pesticides/in-person-testing.html

In-person testing is free of charge, but registration is required through the link above. Good luck!💯

04/01/2026

New Manuals Available Now!
Great news for anyone preparing for pesticide certification or looking to stay current with the latest guidelines. Updated Grain Facility and Livestock manuals are now available — and revised tests can now be taken online.

Explore or purchase the new manuals here: https://pubsplus.illinois.edu/

Learn more about the updates on the Illinois Extension blog:
https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/pesticide-news/2026-04-01-grain-facility-and-livestock-manuals-revised-tests-offered-online

04/01/2026

Missed our clinic in Skokie today? No worries. You still have a chance for in-person training and testing!

We’ll be hosting our final Commercial Training Clinic of the season in Crystal Lake on April 7–8.

Training available:
• General Standards
• Turfgrass
• Rights-of-Way

All exams will be offered both days.

Register today to save your spot before it fills up.
https://psep.extension.illinois.edu/clinics/2526-crystal-lake-comm/

Spring is here! See you in Crystal Lake next week.🌸

03/27/2026

The March 2026 issue of Illinois Fruit and Vegetable News is available with these articles:

📌Extreme weather events: What to do when hail strikes
📌Consider snacking or lunchbox peppers this season
📌From Dixon Springs Ag Center: Solarization started for overwintering cover crops
📌From Northern Illinois (Rockford): Stateline Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference Recap

Extreme weather events: What to do when hail strikes | On the night of March 4, a severe storm system came through southern Illinois which consisted of high winds

03/26/2026

Do you still need training and testing to apply pesticides? The growing season is upon us finally! With the new green growth will also come pests unfortunately. Do you have what you need to deal with them? Do you still need to obtain your Illinois pesticide applicator or operator license? Only a couple in-person pesticide safety education clinics remain and spots are limited. See the full article for details: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/pesticide-news/2026-03-25-do-you-still-need-training-and-testing-apply-pesticides

03/13/2026

Chicagoland, we’re coming your way! ⛵

Join us in Skokie on March 31 and April 1 for our Commercial Training Clinic.

Training available:
• General Standards
• Turfgrass
• Ornamentals

All exams will be offered both days.

Seats are limited, so register today to save your spot:
https://psep.extension.illinois.edu/clinics/2526-skokie-comm/

We hope to see you in Skokie!