Coming Soon: Updated Soil Fumigation Manual and Exam Bank

Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC) will soon release the 3^rd edition of the National Soil Fumigation Manual and Exam. The manual and exam bank are intended for the certification of commercial and private pesticide applicators who apply soil fumigation products. The revision includes the newly required competencies under the 2017 revised Certification of Pesticide Applicators Rule (40 CFR Part 171). More information about the manual and exam, including the new table of contents, can be found below on this webpage. 

The ability to review a draft copy of the manual will be made available to states, tribes, and territories with an EPA-approved applicator certification plan, in addition to their interested Pesticide Safety Education Programs (PSEPs). The purpose of the review copy is for certifying authorities to decide if they want to adopt or modify the revised manual. The current list of adoption options is provided here. In keeping with PERC’s policies, no copy of the full manual will be available online for free access. This differs from how the 2^nd edition was shared.

The draft manual will be mostly complete but may be missing a few details. Instead of mailing printed draft copies, PERC will use a secure virtual viewing space. Access to preview the watermarked draft will be limited to pre-registered users, and there will not be an ability to print.

To request access to the secured draft, please use this Google form to submit your request by Friday, October 31. Kindly limit requests to one (1) access per certifying authority and one (1) access per PSEP. We plan to notify requesters with access information by November 3, 2025, and the review window will be open for three (3) weeks closing Monday, November 24, 2025. 

Next steps:

• Certifying authorities or their PSEPs to use this Google form to request access.
• Recipients preview the draft and decide if they want to adopt or modify the new manual.
• In January 2026, PERC will administer a print order for as-is manuals; certifying authorities may purchase printed copies from PERC at a discounted cost, which they may resell locally; requests for modifiable files will be offered simultaneously. 

Soil fumigants are some of the most toxic pesticides on the market. Each one can be fatal by inhalation, and users must be trained and certified to ensure their safety. The primary goal of this project is to replace the 2012 edition of the Soil Fumigation manual and exam item bank created by NASDARF, a former EPA grantee. 

● The purpose of the manual is to prepare pesticide applicators to successfully complete a certification exam in their states, tribes, or territories in the “Soil Fumigation” category. 

● This manual/exam will be available for adoption by states, tribes, and territories to train and assess pesticide applicators who wish to use soil fumigants. 

● Both private and commercial applicators will be required to earn this certification in order to use soil fumigation products after implementation of the 2017 revised Certification & Training Rule (40 CFR Part 171). 

● Examples of soil fumigation uses are 1,3-dichlorpropene (e.g., Telone) and chloropicrin (e.g., Strike). 

The manual will include newly-required competencies under the 2017 revised Certification of Pesticide Applicators Rule (40 CFR Part 171). The development process may include a job analysis, collaborative development of learning objectives, content-development, exam-item testing and refinement, making recommendations for needed visuals, and evaluation/testing with relevant audiences. The National Project Coordinator will foster stakeholder engagement and seek consensus. They will ensure that the latest science and modern safety practices are included. The manual and exam item bank will be developed only in English at this time. 

In keeping with PERC’s policy about the sharing of manuals associated with exams, no copies of the revised manual will be made available digitally by PERC or adopters. The manual and exam bank will be developed exclusively in English. Consistent with PERC’s policy, no digital copies of the manual will be distributed by PERC or its adopters. Once complete, printed copies will be available for purchase. Click here for PERC's Certification and Training Manual Adoption Options.

Team Leaders

National Project Lead: Ronda Hirnyck, University of Idaho

Technical Writers: Sherman Takatori, Agricultural Consultant, and Thia Walker, most recently of the Colorado State University Extension.

Table of Contents (Draft)

The listing below is subject to change once all writing, editing, and reviewing are complete.

Timing

To be released in 2025.

For More Information

Please direct your questions to PERCsupport@ucdavis.edu. Feel free to share with colleagues and peers by forwarding a link to this page. Also, check us out on social media for updates!