Chemigation
The Nebraska Chemigation Act was adopted by the Legislature in 1986. The program provides the Natural Resources District and the Department of Environmental Quality the authority to document, monitor, regulate and enforce chemigation practices in Nebraska. The Act requires NRD’s to inspect Chemigation safety, equipment and issue permits to potential chemigators or applicators.
Chemigation is the application of any chemical, fertilizer or pesticide through a producers irrigation system. To legally chemigate in the District an operator must be certified to apply chemicals and obtain a chemigation permit from the Little Blue NRD. In order to be certified a person must complete a chemigation safety course and pass an exam every four years. Producers planning to chemigate during the growing season must renew chemigation permits by May 31st of each year.
Forms & Information
Permit Costs
Renewal Permits: $20
- -Due: June 1st of each year.
- -An irrigation system that has not been renewed prior to the June 1st deadline cannot apply chemicals through the system until a new permit is obtained
- -An inspection for a renewal permit is not required, however, random chemigation inspections are required by state law and are conducted throughout the season.
New Permits: $60
- -New permits can be approved at any time and expire on June 1st of the following year.
- -The applicant cannot use the system until it passes a mandatory inspection by the District Staff.
Emergency Permits: $250
- -Emergency permits must be obtained if a system is used without a valid permit.