Private Pesticide
Applicator
Certification
Joe Educator
Extension Office
Any County
Mary Weedperson
Any County Weed & Pest
Mark A. Ferrell
Extension Pesticide Coordinator
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Do we have a vision of the future?
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• "Computers in the future may weigh no
more than 1.5 tons." –Popular Mechanics,
forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949
• "I think there is a world market for
maybe five computers." –Thomas Watson,
chairman of IBM, 1943
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• "There is no reason anyone would want a
computer in their home." –Ken Olson,
president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment
Corp., 1977
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University of Wyoming
Pesticide Programs and Education Resources
Web Page Address
• http://www.uwyo.edu/ces/UWPMC.html
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Objectives of Private Pesticide
Applicator Certification
• To train people in the safe and proper
use of pesticides.
• Pesticide problems are usually not the
fault of the pesticide, they are the fault of
the applicator.
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• INDIVIDUALS WHO APPLY
restricted-use pesticides must be
certified to do so under the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the
Wyoming Environmental Pesticide
Control Act of 1973. Amendments
to FIFRA require that applicators
be continually recertified.
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• Training is conducted by the
University of Wyoming
Cooperative Extension Service.
• Licensing is conferred by the
Wyoming Department of
Agriculture (WDA), which
enforces FIFRA and the state act in
Wyoming.
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Applicator Classifications
• Private Pesticide Applicator:
– is an individual sixteen (16) years of age or older
who is licensed to apply or supervise the
application of RESTRICTED USE PESTICIDES to
their own properties, either owned or leased, or
who may apply restricted use pesticides for other
individuals on their properties, owned or leased
either for no charge, or as an exchange of
services, but not for pay, in the production of an
agricultural commodity. Applicator classification
is not related to either the amount of pesticides
applied, or to the amount of acreage treated.
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Applicator Classifications
• Commercial Pesticide Applicator:
– is a person sixteen (16) years of age or
older who applies or supervises the
application of any pesticide by other
individuals, on property other than their
own, for contract or hire. Commercial
applicators are certified in one or more
categories and may use pesticides only in
the category(s) for which they are
certified.
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When Must I Be
RECERTIFIED?
• Private applicator
– Five (5) year block of time and the license
expires on April 30 of the appropriate year.
• Commercial applicator
– Three (3) year block of time and the license
expires on January 31 of the appropriate
year.
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How Do I Become
RECERTIFIED?
• Private applicators
– Private applicators have three (3)
options for recertification:
• 1) attending an approved training
session;
• 2) completing a home study
workbook;
• 3) passing a written examination.
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How Do I Become
RECERTIFIED? (con't)
• Commercial applicators
– Commercial applicators also have three
(3) options for recertification:
• 1) attending an approved training session;
• 2) passing the appropriate category
examinations;
• 3) obtaining 24 hours of certification hours
within their respective three year block of
time. The 24 hours may not be accumulated
in a single year.
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What Topics Are Included In The
Training?
• PRIVATE APPLICATOR TRAINING
– A minimum of two (2) hours of training
is required to certify Wyoming private
applicators. The training session
format is as follows:
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What Topics Are Included In The
Training?
• PRIVATE APPLICATOR TRAINING
(con't)
– (1) A verbal review of the certification
requirements for Wyoming private
pesticide applicators.
– (2) A verbal review of pesticide laws
and regulations.
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What Topics Are Included In The
Training?
• PRIVATE APPLICATOR TRAINING
(con't).
– (3) Training on the use of pesticides
(safety, handling, groundwater
contamination, misuse, public
concerns, and disposal).
– (4) Training on proper use of pesticide
equipment and calibration.
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What Topics Are Included In The
Training?
• COMMERCIAL APPLICATOR TRAINING
– Commercial Pesticide Applicator
Training Short Course
• 3 day course with training in pesticide
labels & terminology, pesticide & farm
worker safety, pesticide laws & regulations,
pesticide toxicity, groundwater quality,
pesticide formulations, plant pathology,
weed science, entomology, small animal
control, and calibration.
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What Topics Are Included In The
Training?
• COMMERCIAL APPLICATOR TRAINING
(con't).
– Commercial pesticide applicator
Recertification short course
• 1 1/2 day course with new information in the
areas of laws & regulations, pesticide
toxicity, vertebrate pest control, weed
control, pesticide safety, integrated pest
management, plant disease control, insect
control, groundwater, and calibration.
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License Fees
• The commercial license fee is $25.00
upon successful completion of
examination(s). There is a $25.00
renewal fee when requirements for
recertification are met. There is no
license fee for government
employees.
• There is no license fee for private
applicators.
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Applicator Training Fees
• A registration fee is charged for the
initial commercial applicator training
session and for the commercial
applicator recertification training
session.
• There is no fee or registration charge
for private applicator training.
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Commercial Licenses
• Cat. 901 Ag pest control (Plant:
weed, insect, and disease control),
(animal pest control), (rodent
control), (chemigation);
• Cat. 902 Forest pest control;
• Cat. 903 Ornamental & Turf pest
control (weed, insect, plant disease,
rodent control);
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Commercial Licenses
• Cat. 904 Seed Treatment;
• Cat. 905 Aquatic Pest Control;
• Cat. 906 Right-of-way Pest Control;
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Commercial Licenses
• Cat. 907 Industrial, Institutional,
Structural, & Health Related Pest
Control (bird control);
• Cat. 908 Public Health Pest Control;
• Cat. 909 Regulatory Pest Control
(rodent control, bird control,
vertebrate pest control, M-44,
livestock protection collars);
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Commercial Licenses
• Cat. 910 Demonstration and
Research Pest Control;
• Cat. 911 Specific Use Pest Control
(wood preservation, non-government
M-44, non-government livestock
protection collar, non-government
mosquito control);
• Cat. 912 Aerial Application.
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Wyoming Environmental
Pesticide Control Act of 1973
• Prohibited Acts, it is unlawful:
– to destroy any pesticide label prior to
proper disposal of the container
– to refuse to keep required records
– to allow a restricted use pesticide to be
used by a non-certified applicator
– to use a pesticide in manner
inconsistent with its labeling
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