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Licensing of Agricultural Row Crop Pesticide Applicators in Florida 1
Frederick M. Fishel2This document explains the licensing and regulation of persons who apply pesticides to agricultural row crops in Florida, as regulated by the Florida Pesticide Law (Chapter 487), and administered by the Florida Department of Consumer Services.
Agricultural Row Crop Pest Control
All persons who apply or supervise the application of restricted use pesticides to agricultural row crops must have a pesticide applicator license issued by the Bureau of Compliance Monitoring/Pesticide Certification Section. The Agricultural Row Crop Pest Control category is regulated by the Florida Pesticide Law (Chapter 487) .Category Certification Standards
Applicators seeking a license in this category must demonstrate practical knowledge of:
Applicators in this category shall also demonstrate practical knowledge of:
- agricultural row crops and associated pests;
- the chemical control measures that pertain to the prevention or control of such pests;
- the equipment or methodologies used to safely and effectively implement such measures;
- the potential for pesticide residues on such crops;
- preharvest application intervals;
- post-application reentry interval restrictions;
- phytotoxicity;
- pesticide-related soil or water problems;
- potential for pesticide-induced environmental contamination; and
- non-target injury and community problems that may result from the improper use of pesticides in agricultural row crop production.
- the procedures and equipment used to apply pesticides with irrigation water through an irrigation system;
- calibration of equipment for applying pesticides with irrigation water;
- proper design, use, and maintenance of anti-siphon devices and check valves to prevent pesticide contamination of water supplies;
- proper interpretation of pesticide label or labeling requirements for products registered for chemigation; and
- appropriate use of personal protective equipment associated with this type of application.
License classification
Certified agricultural row crop pest control applicators may be licensed as either public applicators or commercial applicators. These are the major differences:
- A public applicator is a licensed applicator employed by a public or governmental agency. The license is only valid when performing work for the public or governmental agency. The public applicator fee for a four-year license is $60.
- A commercial applicator is a licensed applicator who is licensed to apply restricted-use pesticides on any property provided they are certified in the category for which the applications are made. A commercial applicator is usually a contract applicator. The commercial applicator fee for a four-year license is $160.
Examinations
Persons must successfully complete two examinations before they can apply to the Department for a license. These examinations are a Core examination and an Agricultural Row Crop Pest Control category examination. The Core examination may be taken at any University of Florida IFAS County Extension Office. The Agricultural Row Crop Pest Control examination may be taken at a University of Florida IFAS County Extension Office that offers category examinations. No special qualifications must be met to take the examination. There is no fee to take the examinations.Study materials
Manuals and study materials for Core and Agricultural Row Crop Pest Control applicators who will be taking exams may be obtained from the UF/IFAS Extension Bookstore by calling 1-800-226-1764 or on-line at http://www.ifasbooks.ufl.edu/merchant2/ . The content of the Core exam is based upon the manual, Applying Pesticides Correctly ( Figure 1 ). The content of the Agricultural Row Crop exam is based upon the manual, Agricultural Row Crop Pest Control ( Figure 2 ). Sample labels may be obtained from suppliers of pesticide products.
Figure 1. Applying Pesticides Correctly - SM 1
Figure 2. Agricultural Row Crop Pest Control - SM 05 Recertification
Applicators must recertify every four years. To recertify, applicators may take the examinations again or attend training and obtain 8 continuing education units (CEUs) approved for the Agricultural Row Crop Pest Control category and 4 CEUs approved for the Core category. Core CEUs can't be used to meet the required Agricultural Row Crop Pest Control CEUs. No substitutions of other types of CEUs are allowed. Opportunities to earn CEUs may be found at http://www.flaes.org/ .Restricted use pesticides applied in the Agricultural Row Crop category
Table 1 lists Florida's restricted use pesticides that are applied in the Agricultural Row Crop category and the reason for the restricted classification. A complete listing of all restricted use pesticides in Florida may be viewed at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PI073 .Additional information
Fishel, F.M. 2005. Restricted use pesticides. UF/IFAS EDIS Fact Sheet PI-36, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PI073 .Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Bureau of Compliance Monitoring, Pesticide Licensing Section, 3125 Conner Drive, Bldg. 8, L-29, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1650, Phone: 850-488-3314, http://www.flaes.org//complimonitoring/index.html (accessed June 20, 2006).
Florida Statutes, Chapter 487. Florida Pesticide Law. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0487/ch0487.htm
University of Florida/IFAS Pesticide Information Office, P.O. Box 110710, Bldg. 164, Gainesville, FL 32611-0710, Phone: 352-392-4721, http://pested.ifas.ufl.edu/ (accessed June 20, 2006).
Tables
Table 1. Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) for agricultural row crops in Florida.
Pesticide common name
Criteria for RUP
Abamectin
Toxic to fish, mammals and aquatic organisms. Highly toxic to bees
Aldicarb
Accident history
Atrazine
Ground water contamination potential; worker exposure concerns
Azinphos-methyl
Human inhalation hazard, acute toxicity, hazard to avian, aquatic and mammalian species
Bifenthrin
Toxic to fish and aquatic organisms
Carbofuran
Acute inhalation toxicity; avian toxicity (granular)
Chlorpyrifos
Avian and aquatic toxicity
Cyfluthrin
Acute toxicity to applicators, fish and other aquatic organisms
Cyhalothrin
Environmental data requirements
Cypermethrin
Oncogenicity, hazard to non-target organisms
Deltamethrin
High toxicity to aquatic organisms
Dichlobenil
Conditional
Dichloropropene
Probable human carcinogen, oncogenic, acutely toxic by oral and inhalation routes
Dicrotophos
Acute dermal toxicity, residue effects on avian species
Diflubenzuron
Hazard to wildlife
Ethoprop
Acute dermal toxicity
Fenamiphos
Acute dermal toxicity, avian acute oral toxicity, acute inhalation toxicity
Fenpropathrin
Environmental concerns: toxic to fish and aquatic organisms
Lambda-cyhalothrin
Toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates
Methamidophos
Acute dermal toxicity, residue effects on avian species
Methidathion
Residue effects on avian species
Methomyl
Residue effects on mammalian species, other hazards - accident history
Methyl bromide
Acute toxicity and accident history
Methyl parathion
Residue effects on mammalian and avian species, hazard to bees, acute dermal toxicity
Oxamyl
Acute oral toxicity, acute inhalation toxicity, avian oral toxicity
Oxydemeton methyl
Reproductive effects
Paraquat
Human toxicological data, other hazards - use and accident history
Permethrin
Highly toxic to aquatic organisms, oncogenicity
Phorate
Acute oral and dermal toxicity for granulars, residue effects on avian and mammalian species (foliar application of liquid formulation only), effects on aquatic organisms
Profenofos
Due to high toxicity
Tefluthrin
Environmental concerns
Terbufos
Residue effects on avian species; acute oral and dermal toxicity
Footnotes
1. This document is PI-127, one of a series of the Pesticide Information Office, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date July 2006. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.2. Frederick M. Fishel, associate professor, Agronomy Department, and Director, Pesticide Information Office; Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.
The use of trade names in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. UF/IFAS does not guarantee or warranty the products named, and references to them in this publication does not signify our approval to the exclusion of other products of suitable composition. All chemicals should be used in accordance with directions on the manufacturer's label.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.
Copyright Information
This document is copyrighted by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) for the people of the State of Florida. UF/IFAS retains all rights under all conventions, but permits free reproduction by all agents and offices of the Cooperative Extension Service and the people of the State of Florida. Permission is granted to others to use these materials in part or in full for educational purposes, provided that full credit is given to the UF/IFAS, citing the publication, its source, and date of publication.