Training for Agronomists
CPD training for members of the BASIS Professional Register
Welcome to the online training page for agronomists.
These courses are designed for agronomists who are members of the BASIS Professional Register and who wish to develop their knowledge around spray application. Courses focus on where the advice of the agronomist directly relates to spraying recommendations.
Courses enhance personal development, support interactions with the sprayer operator and improve application advice for plant protection products.
All courses are accredited by BASIS and NRoSO. BASIS members can earn up to 18 BASIS points from online training each year and NRoSO members, up to ten NRoSO points – simply add your membership number(s) when checking out. Each course can be purchased individually, or choose a cheaper option and buy one of the course bundles outlined below.
Individual Courses
Responsible Agronomy – Stewardship Advice: 4 points - £36
Stewardship is the responsibility of agronomists when issuing spray recommendations and these schemes must be incorporated into the advice being given if they are to follow best practice and industry guidelines.
The course outlines the agronomist’s role in stewardship, highlighting the need to protect water, maintain product approvals and comply with both voluntary and statutory guidance. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped to embed stewardship into their day-to-day advice and planning.
Emergency Procedures for Agronomists: 2 points - £18
Agronomists are in regular contact with farm environments and chemical storage areas. Although it’s not typically part of the agronomist’s direct duties to manage chemical incidents, situations may arise where immediate action is necessary. Whilst action is advisory, presence on site during a chemical related emergency may place the agronomist in a position where they are the only person able to respond or raise the alarm.
This course provides practical knowledge and situational awareness to help prevent escalation and ensure safety when emergencies involving chemicals occur.
Spray Recommendations - Qualifications: 2 points - £18
An agronomist’s role isn’t just to recommend products, it’s also to ensure the whole application process is compliant. Agronomists should always consider the operator’s qualifications and the applicator being used as it forms part of their role in delivering responsible, practical and compliant spray application advice.
To legally apply products, operators must hold the appropriate module for the applicator included in spray recommendations, not just have a Lantra Level 2 Award or PA1 certificate. A responsible agronomists should take this into account when tasking the operator and to ensure compliance.
Bee Protected: 2 points - £18
Flowering crops are susceptible to pests, often leading to agronomists recommending the use of plant protection products during sensitive growth stages of pollinators and other beneficials. As such, agronomists play a critical role in ensuring that pesticide advice supports crop protection while safeguarding the health of beneficial insects such as bees.
This course supports an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach, will improve advice on complying with assurance schemes and will help to signpost clients to useful tools and resources to protect pollinators and other beneficials.
Course Bundles
Instead of buying each course separately, and depending on how many points you need, it may be cheaper to consider purchasing one of our course bundles.
Six points option:
Save £4 by purchasing three two-point courses together for £50
- Emergency Procedures for Agronomists
- Spray Recommendations – Pesticide Application Qualifications
- Bee Protected
Ten points option:
Save £15 by purchasing three two-point courses plus a four-point course for £75
- Responsible Agronomy – Stewardship Advice
- Emergency Procedures for Agronomists
- Spray Recommendations – Pesticide Application Qualifications
- Bee Protected
How does it work?
During the checkout process, you will be asked for your details, including your membership number(s) and you are required to add a username and password. This will create an account with Ei OPERATOR so when you return to the website, you can just log back into your account. As soon as the payment process is complete, you can immediately access the course(s) by heading to the page called MY COURSES.
Each course comprises a series of lessons and an end of course test. You do not have complete the course in one sitting and you can retake the test as many times as it takes to pass.
Once completed, we will send your CPD points across to BASIS and/or NRoSO for you. This can take up to four weeks during busy times. Points will be applied in the membership term in which the course is completed and passed.
BASIS members can also earn BASIS points from our range of NRoSO courses – head to the Sprayer Operator Training Page to find out more.
Once purchased, you have a year to complete the course before it expires. Each course can only be undertaken once every 12 months.
For more information head to the FAQs page.
Need more points?
BASIS members are also eligible to earn points from our extensive range of sprayer operator courses, many of which are relevant to the role of the agronomist.