Extension staff briefed the committee on planned pesticide applicator trainings and the office’s marketing approach for the 2025–26 season.

Staff said flyers and media releases for training will begin mid‑November and that in‑person classes are scheduled for Jan. 22 in this building, Feb. 4 in Bloomer and Feb. 26 in Altoona. The trainings prepare participants to take the certification exam; staff emphasized that the printed manual from UW–Madison is required to sit the in‑person test.

"Those will start going out mid November... January 22 for in our area, yes, it will be in this building," an extension staff member said.

Staff discussed the cost: the manual generally runs about $40–$45, plus a roughly $10 in‑person training fee, meaning a typical attendee could pay about $50. Staff also noted that some certificates were deferred during the COVID years, which reduced renewals in a given year but could create a larger cohort of renewals in a future year.

Staff said the office will proctor one‑on‑one exams in the county office for people who complete online training, but those examinees must meet a higher passing percentage than those who attend the in‑person class.

No formal action was taken; staff said they will distribute materials and open registration when marketing begins.