It has been just over three years since anhydrous ammonia certified grower training was implemented in Illinois. This means that thousands of growers will be up for recertification ahead of the spring season. If you receive questions regarding ammonia training for growers, below are resources you can share for both in person and online training.   It is important to clarify that anyone involved ...more

EPA currently has open a public comment period on a petition filed by several state attorneys general (AG) requesting EPA to initiate rulemaking to clarify that statements on pesticide labels regarding health claims that are inconsistent with EPA’s finding would be false and misleading under federal pesticide law (comments on the petition are due February 20). This petition if very well in ...more

Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirements for new CDL Class A/B or HAZMAT drivers have increased operating costs by nearly $8,000 per driver and are a barrier to entry for many. Get ahead of driver training challenges before the busy planting season with ARA's new ELDT member service that helps ag retailers cut through the regulatory red tape of driver training. ARA members leveraging ...more

Every other month, Illinois Extension provides a new Illinois Pesticide Review Newsletter. Here you will find information on legislation, regulations and other developments directly impacting pesticide use in Illinois. The latest edition includes stories on: IDOA issues guidance on new law concerning pesticide application in rights-of-way Public comment opens on monarch butterfly's threatened species status, USFWS contemplates limitations on pesticides Updated Worker ...more

EPA requires a label accompany every pesticide to the end user. This can be a challenge for retailers that provide custom application services. To help remedy this issue, the Applicator Manual was created and is designed to be placed in each piece of application, nurse or tender equipment, to provide operators and handlers access to label information.   These handy 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" manuals have ...more

Click the links below to view videos covering research that was funded in part by the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council and conducted in collaboration with the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association. These videos were produced with support from the Illinois Soybean Association checkoff program and the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council.   Tracking Nitrate Concentrations in the Upper ...more

This week the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association and the Illinois Corn Growers put out a joint statement regarding fall anhydrous ammonia application with abnormally dry conditions in most of the state of Illinois. Click here to read the statement. We are also asking members to be vigilant of what soil temperatures are in the coming weeks. If you have any questions ...more

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is registering a new active ingredient glufosinate-P to control weeds in conventional and glufosinate-resistant field corn, sweet corn, soybean, cotton and canola. EPA is also releasing its final biological evaluation for the active ingredient under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to further goals outlined in the April 2022 ESA Workplan . Glufosinate-P is the first ...more

IFCA's national partner, the Ag Retailers Association, and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) held a webinar on NH3 nurse tank saftey. The webinar specifically covered the recent Nurse Tank Safety Advisory issued by U.S. DOT's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Click here to view the webinar where you can find ...more

The Grain and Feed Association of Illinois (GFAI) and the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) have been in talks with the Illinois Department of Labor regarding granting permits for exemptions to the One Day Rest In Seven Act for each of our respective industries.  In the past, GFAI and IFCA have applied to the Illinois Department of Labor for an industry exemption to ...more