Pesticide regulation in the USA started with the 1910 Insecticide Act. This was passed by Congress to prevent the misbranding and adulteration of pesticide products for sale to the public.

In 1908, representatives of the chemical manufacturers met to draft a law that would protect their industry from sale and production of misbranded and adulterated pesticides. The law targeted specific pesticides including Paris green, lead arsenate, and various fungicides. The law required manufacturers to guarantee that these products met a certain percentage of concentration and were pure in nature prior to sale. The law put a stop to home brew operations and brought foreign manufacturers under compliance with the law.

Pesticide containers were marked with a serial number specific to the manufacturer. The product labels indicated that the product was guaranteed under the act. Products had a paper label and were also often embossed with a brand and identify mark on the containers. Containers were made of ceramic, metal, paper, and cardboard. Pesticide application was not regulated at all at this point, only manufacturing.

Virginia currently follows the federal EPA model for regulation of manufacturing, sale, and use of pesticides, as most states do, with the exception of California.

I took my Turf and Ornamental training in approx 1980, at a turf field day event at Virginia tech. The training manual that covered turf and ornamental was less than 50 pages, covering 2 categories. Those manuals are now separated into 2 training manuals of over 150 pages each. The training manuals text has increased 87% in 34 years. My exam was administered open book.

Today each type or category of pest control requires separate certification. Applicator licenses are issued in two categories. Commercial Applicators license, (like a driver's license), registered technician, (like a learners permit). The registered technician (RT) must have 20 hours of classroom training and 20 hours of field training under a commercial applicator in order to be eligible to take the RT test. This test is 50 multiple choice questions primarily centered around: Integrated Pest Management, and Human and Environmental safety and protection.

The commercial applicator must serve as an RT for one year, or provide Virginia Department of Agriculture Office of Pesticide Services (VDACS OPS) with proof of sufficient education, field related, to bypass the RT step. This exam is also 50 multiple choice questions but dramatically more difficult than the RT exam. This exam covers the same areas as the RT exam plus: pest ID, public relations, calibration, equipment, etc. Not recommended unless you have several years experience, some further education in a related field, detailed study of the training manuals, and ideally a full day training class.

Once you have successfully passed the RT or CA exam you will be issued a license good for two years. All RT and CA license holders are required to attend a recertification class every 2 years to maintain certification. These classes are centered around a review of current laws and changes, refresher on environmental and human protection, and new products for pest control. Landscape Supply offers these recert classes as a customer service in late February or early March every year. My company also offers these classes if you may be interested in a closed session for your company or municipality.

All companies that fall in the "For Hire" category such as lawn service and landscape companies must also have a "Virginia Pesticide Business License". This costs $50.00 annually, and must be backed up by proof of insurance. Government and not for hire applicators are exempt from this.

Those of you that are certified and legal, keep these licenses in effect! It will only get more difficult down the road to pass these exams. Those that are not legal and certified need to stop applying pesticides or get legal. You cannot hide! Not only do you have pesticide investigators looking for illegal applicators, but you now have a general public that is much more aware and concerned about pesticide use and potential harmful effects. The VA office of pesticide services has a listing of all pesticide business and all RT and CA applicators in Virginia on their website. Any customer, competitor, supervisor can look online at anytime to see who does, and does not carry proper licensing.

I personally think that our industry (turf and landscape) gets an unfair amount of scrutiny as it relates to pesticide and fertilizer use, and public perception of us as an industry. Virginia agriculture uses approx 90% of commercial fertilizer and pesticide sold, we use approx 10%. Agriculture commonly tills or disturbs large areas of soil, Turf and Landscape rarely does, comparatively, in total acres.

The public sees us making applications on a regular basis, but rarely sees farmers making applications. It doesn't take but a few of us to, cause some nontarget pesticide application damage, or not wear proper protective gear, to give all the rest of us a black eye in the view of the general public. DO THE RIGHT THING, use IPM, read the label, calibrate, follow all PPE instructions on the label, use the least toxic pesticide that will get the job done, use biological controls and natural enemies where they will be effective. Keep our industry looking good in the public eye.

Virginia Certified

Nutrient Management planner (turf/landscape, agriculture)
Commercial Pesticide Applicator (turf, ornamental, aquatic, right of way, research and demonstration)

P.O. Box 527, Blue Ridge, Va. 24064
Cell: 540-871-8873
Fax: 540-977-4409
E-Mail: rbbsales@cs.com
Website: www.rbbturflandscapeconsultants.com