Around 4.5 million dollars are invested annually on pesticides applied to Hardin County farmland for control of insects, weeds, and disease.  In addition to the difficult decision of how to most effectively utilize pesticide resources, farms must also consider employee and personal protection, environmental stewardship, and nearby sensitive area considerations in their pesticide management decisions.  Over 60 Hardin County farmers and employees received private pesticide applicator certification in 2024. There are 253 certified private applicators in Hardin County in 2024 and they are recertified every three years. Producers leave these trainings with knowledge of common pests and their damage, understanding of chemical labels, awareness of poisoning symptoms and what to do in case of an accident. They are trained to recognize and consider local environmental situations during application, prepare proper concentrations and calibrate equipment, and how to store pesticides properly among other things. Many times this is a renewal certification but participants will still comment that they learned something new or were reminded of a rule or practice that has changed since they took the training previously.