Continuing Education Credits

The RMRTA Conference will offer several options for CEC for the following categories: UP, 108, 109, 206, 207 and Core Credits.  See below.  Also, the conference has been approved by Nebraska and Wyoming for our out of state attendees.

GCSAA and SFMA have both approved the conference for external education points!

These codes will be given at the end of the conference.

AM Workshops - Tuesday, December 2, 2025

AM Workshops - 8AM-11AM

  • Turf and Weedy Grass Identification (Category 206) - Pamela Sherratt - THE Ohio State University - This talk provides a practical guide to identifying common turfgrass species and distinguishing them from grassy weeds. Attendees will learn how to spot key differences between desirable turf species and weeds, so that informed decisions can be made about weed control and other turfgrass maintenance practices.

PM Workshops -12PM-3PM

  • Woody Plant CSI: An In-Depth Dive Into Diagnostics (Category 207) - Dr. Alison O'Connor, Eric Hammond - Colorado State University - Join Eric and Alison for an in-depth presentation into woody plant diagnostics. They will present case studies and examples from their Extension interactions. An introduction to diagnostics and woody plant identification will be included during this workshop.

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

9:00AM-10:00AM

  • Don Frantz - Wilbur Ellis - Plant Growth Regulators 101 (Category 206) - The presentation will cover the basics of plant growth regulators and how different families of PGR’s affect turfgrass, woody plants, and ornamentals and understanding what features to consider.

10:00AM-11:00AM

  • Taylor Turner-Weaver - Numerator Technologies - Improving Product Efficacy (Category 206) - Water: the smallest factor that makes the greatest difference. Discussion on water quality parameters and how they influence tank mixes such as reduced solubility, decreased absorption, decreases half-life, pesticide Degradation, and how the way water moves affects how effective spray tank applications are.
  • Pamela Sherratt - THE Ohio State University - Predicting & Diagnosing Turf Problems + Quiz (Category 206) - Sharpen your turf troubleshooting skills by learning how to spot early warning signs and diagnose common issues. Gain confidence in identifying turf problems quickly, reducing downtime and treatment costs—plus test your knowledge in a fun, interactive quiz.

1:00PM-2:00PM

  • Underwater Recovery - Aquatics (Category 108)

2:00PM-3:00PM

  • Dr. Marta Pudzianowski - Mississippi State University - Warm-Season Turfgrasses – Breeding & Selecting For Sustainability (Category 207) - Warm-season turfgrass breeding programs across southern United States have been working for years to anticipate needs and create sustainable turfgrasses that provide good quality and playability, while using less resources. New cultivars of bermudagrass and other warm-season species with improved tolerance to various stresses, including drought, shade, diseases and pests, has been released in last few years, and some more are coming soon. This talk will present current selection of warm-season turfgrasses, with focus on bermudagrass, their performance under reduced inputs, especially irrigation, and discuss what to look for when choosing your perfect grass.

3:00PM-4:00PM

  • Don Frantz - Wilbur Ellis - Improving Efficacy In Pesticide Applications (Category 206) - The presentation will cover the basics of adjuvant use in a spray program, and how the use of adjuvants improves pesticide spraying efficacy and efficiency.
  • Dr. Tamla Blunt - Colorado State University - How To Read A Pesticide Label (Category UP) - This presentation will walk through how to read a pesticide label, as well as what information is contained on the label for user safety.
  • Francisco Santiago - BASF - (Spanish) The Principles of Weed Control/ Los Principios de Control de Malezas (Category 207) - We will discuss the principles of weed control in ornamental & landscape beds using the practices of Integrated Pest Management, identifying Plant Life Cycles, Weed Identification and how pre & post herbicides work. Discutiremos los principios del control de malezass en camas ornamentales utilizando las prácticas de Manejo Integrado de Plagas, identificando los Ciclos de Vida de las Plantas, la Identificación de malezas y cómo funcionan los herbicidas pre y post emergentes.

Thursday, December 4, 2025

8:00AM-12:00PM

  • Pesticide Applicators Core Credits - Lisa Blecker - Colorado State University - Core Credit CEU will provide 5 core commercial applicator credits: P/F: Label Reading. Applicators will learn and practice how to read the pesticide label. They will know where to look to find the information they need to know to make safe and effective pesticide applications. Applicators will know where to look to find the brand name, identify what active ingredient(s) are in their formulation, the mode of action of the product, the formulation, where to look for application methods, rates, and crops/sites approved for use in the directions for use section, where to look for safety and hazard information in the precautionary statements section, and where to look for storage and disposal information. E/P: ESA Update Applicators will learn about the EPA requirements regarding the Endangered Species Act and pesticide applications. Applicators will learn how they can use the label and other resources to comply with these new requirements. Up-to-date information regarding EPA's progress on implementing ESA changes will be provided. U/P: Weather-Proofing Your Application This presentation will cover best practices for planning and making effective pesticide applications while managing the following weather conditions; wind, heat, and precipitation. Pesticide efficacy as well as human and environmental safety will be discussed. Label requirements regarding drift management, runoff reduction, and environmental hazards will be discussed. A/S: Common PPE Mistakes. This presentation will provide an overview of personal protective equipment (PPE), and how to know what to wear when handling pesticides. We will review common PPE-related violations reported by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, and outline how to avoid these common mistakes. P/S: Maintaining Public Safety During Pesticide Applications. This presentation will address ways to avoid harming the public and bystanders when making pesticide applications in urban and non-urban settings. The focus will be on notification requirements and employee training requirements. The presentation will also outline resources for addressing these issues.

9:00AM-10:00AM

  • Ryan Bartlett - Sanctuary Tree - Pollinators (Category 207)

10:00AM-11:00AM

  • Dr. Derek Sebastian - ENVU & Alan Hopkins - ENVU - Strategies For Developing A Successful Right-Of-Way Vegetation Management Program (Category 109) - The presentation will cover key considerations for vegetation management on Rights-of-Way including total vegetation management (bare ground) and the effective use of residual herbicides with selective and non-selective attributes. Recognition of herbicide resistance management and the importance of mixing multiple effective herbicide sites of action for sustainable weed control is critical. Other considerations include management goals such as worker safety, labor and equipment costs, environmental concerns, public safety, lines of sight, equipment hazards, aesthetics, and more.

11:00AM-12:00PM

  • Whitney Cranshaw - Colorado State University - Aphids (Category 207) - Many hundreds of species of aphids are present in the Rocky Mountain region and few plants avoid hosting one or more type of these ubiquitous insects. Aphids have many unusual habits regarding how they develop and their association with plant, and a better understanding of these can help improve how they can be best managed. This will be an in-depth discussion of these important insects, including ways they can be controlled, if necessary.
  • Wes Eppele - BASF - CO Turf Disease Prevention & Control (Category 206) - This course will cover an IPM approach to disease management for turfgrasses in Colorado. Colorado has long been thought of as an area with diminished plant disease pressure, but recent years have shown an increase in fungicide applications for common turfgrass diseases. This presentation will provide an overview to disease control strategies in the Rocky Mountain region.
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