Updated Soil Fumigation Manual and Exam Bank

The Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC) released the 2nd edition of the National Soil Fumigation Manual! 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).

To support different state and program needs, PERC offered multiple adoption pathways. The window to purchase reduced cost copies or request a modifiable has closed for 2026 but will open again in 2028.

•  If your organization will adopt the manual “as is,” but did not purchase copies in 2026: PERC won’t leave you behind! You may participate in the next print run planned for 2028 and purchase copies then. In the meantime, you may direct your users to obtain copies through the PERC Store once available.
• If you missed the window to request the modifiable digital file: you will not be able to request a modifiable file again until 2028.

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 is 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 includes newly-required competencies under the 2017 revised Certification of Pesticide Applicators Rule (40 CFR Part 171). The development process may have included 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 fostered stakeholder engagement and seek consensus. They ensured that the latest science and modern safety practices are included. The manual and exam item bank was 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.

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!