Chemigation is the practice of applying agrichemicals to cropland using an irrigation system to distribute both the water and chemical.
Nebraska Chemigation Act
The goal of the Nebraska Chemigation Act is to protect the groundwater and surface waters of Nebraska from contamination by fertilizers or pesticides. To accomplish this goal, the Act provided the legal requirements for the future use of chemigation as a means of nutrient or pesticide application.
The Nebraska Department of Environment Energy developed and implemented the rules and regulations necessary for irrigators to utilize the practice. Under the NDEE rules, Nebraska's Natural Resources Districts were given the responsibility to manage the chemigation permit component that ensures that proper safety equipment is present and functioning properly: Chemigation | UNL Water
Chemigation Program
Farmers planning to chemigate during the 2024 growing season must renew chemigation permits by June 1 to meet state deadline requirements, according to LENRD Water Resources Coordinator, Josh Schnitzler.
Chemigation is the application of any chemical, fertilizer or pesticide through an irrigation system. To legally chemigate in Nebraska, an operator must be certified to apply chemicals and obtain a chemigation permit from their local NRD.
An irrigation system that has not been renewed prior to the June 1 deadline cannot apply chemicals through the system until a new permit is obtained. Chemigation renewal permits cost $20. New chemigation permits cost $50, and the applicant cannot use the system until it passes a mandatory inspection.
Applicants must have a certified applicator's signature on the application form. Schnitzler stated, "In order to be certified, a person must complete a chemigation safety course and pass an exam once every four years."
If chemigating is necessary, on short notice, emergency permits can be obtained at a cost of $250. Please allow 2 working days for emergency permits.
Approximately 2,163 chemigation permits were approved by the LENRD in 2023. For more information contact Josh Schnitzler or Ali Watts at the LENRD office.
Chemigation Renewal Letter
Chemigation Site Inspection Requirements
2024 Training Dates
Online Training/Testing
Attention Chemigators: Please go to the UNL water page, using the link below. About half way down the page are the written instructions you can print for navigation or there are also video instructions to help with navigation.
https://water.unl.edu/article/agricultural-irrigation/chemigation
You must complete the video verifications for Chapter 1-9 before the Final Chemigation exam will open.
Once you complete the final Chemigation exam an email will be sent to NDEE. NDEE will then issue your Chemigation license by mail. Questions? Contact: Julie Jacobs, 402-472-9543.
UNL Chemigation Page:
https://water.unl.edu/cropswater/chemigation