# Pesticide Applicator Certification



## grapeman (Feb 4, 2008)

Have any of you guys been certified for being either a Commercial Certified Applicator or a Private Applicator? I am taking the exams tomorrow for the Private Certified Applicator. There is a core manual test based on a 2 inch thick 3 ring binder of information. Then there is the Category exam. I am certifying in Fruit(including apples, grapes, strawberries and raspberriesfor me). That part is open manuals on the specific category. 


I was certified for 15 years, but it lapsed a number of years ago since I didn't need it for the farm anymore. I decided to recertify to give me more spray options since some of the most effective and safest ones have been put on the Restricted list here in NY. Sevin 80S is restricted even here now even though the LD 50 number puts it in a relatively safe category. The scary part is the average homeowner can apply all of the Sevin they want in 50W formulation or dust- both of which are actually more prone to misuse. 


The exams are $50 and the manuals another $25 or so. I need to travel to near Lake Placid, NY for the tests and they will take a half day or so. It is quite an investment in both time and money.


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## farmer (Feb 4, 2008)

I did have my private applicator certification for restricted use chemicals on the farm but did not keep it up. With the roundup ready seed choices I did not have to use anything restricted. Last summer I had to spray for aphides in the soybeans but had my son-in-law spray , he has a large sprayer and could do a better job then I could.
When I took the test you had to go to a meeting at the local coop you took the book and test home and mailed it to the state. Things may have changed since than. I don't know if Minnesota has a fruit and vegtable category.


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## grapeman (Feb 4, 2008)

When I first tested in about 1976, things were a lot different here also. I got by for years lately without using restricted chems, but they keep adding more and more to the lists. I feel the less you use, the better off you, the environment and everything else is. However there are times when you just plain need that little extra flexibility of choice to be effective.


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## NorthernWinos (Feb 4, 2008)

Jim has a license...Uses RoundUp for herbicides mostly...but like 'farmer' said...needs a license for spraying some insecticides as well as some other chemicals.


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## Bert (Feb 4, 2008)

Appleman...your test sounds like the Commercial applicator license I took some years ago....different tests for different applications....and all the answers were not in the book....just have a private applicators now, renewed it last year, open book test, the test just followed along with the book....not to bad to do.....GOOD LUCK


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## grapeman (Feb 5, 2008)

This wasn't the Commercial Applicator- just the Private Applicator, but remember this is New York State........... alsmost as bad as Cali-zenager
Got back from the test. Almost an hour each way-longer going up with some ice on the roads, gone for the trip home. It took an hour going over things and filling out the registration forms. We were allowed 3 hours total for the two tests. Core test 50 questions closed manual. Category exam 50 questions open book. I had to laugh at a few of the choices(somebody would have to be pretty uninformed for those). Not difficult, just a pain to do. Hopefully I passed the first time so I won't need to repeat anything.


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## farmer (Feb 6, 2008)

Your New York private license is the same as our Minnesota commerial license. Our private certification can be done mailin or online exam$5.00 for the study manual and $50.00 for a three year certification.


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## grapeman (Feb 6, 2008)

How is the renewal process there? Here private applicator is a 5 year renewal. You need 10 credits to get the renewal. You get credits by attending field meetings etc with an educational purpose. They need to be approved and usually are worth one credit each. If you don't have enough before renewal, you need to retake the category exam(different). 


I just wish the whole process was easier. It took me hours and days of digging to find what I needed. A call to the regional DEC office got me a packet pointing me to some of what I needed, but the State agency listed as providing them was closed and the store online not working. The local Cooperative Extension only had the category manual, not the core. I finally got that through my grape contact for the Albany area. There were applications to get, documentation proving eligibility and fees involved. If you need education courses, you are pretty much out of luck. They are only offered every few years and then may not be in your desired category. I was the only one out of 14 testing that was getting a private cert. The rest worked for mostly the state Prison Systems. 


When I got certified originally I got all I needed at a local extension education class. We went to the classes for 4 days and tested on the 5th. It was much easier then, and you got hands on exposure then. That's before this countries continuing trend of losing farms.


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## farmer (Feb 6, 2008)

Man they don't make it easy for you .
Here the private certification is good for 3 years. The state will send you a notice when you need to renew. Thereis no continued ed. all you have to do is take the test again. To take the test you have three options, take it on-line,request the test be mailed to you and mail it back or attend a local workshop and take the test there.
There is only one test .The only exception is if you want to fumigate your own grain a Fumigation Endorsement is required.
I went to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture website an everything I needed to know was there. 
There is a need for education on handling restricted use chemicals but regulations need to be practicable too.


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## grapeman (Feb 9, 2008)

I got the results back for the tests. They are simply listed as passing....... Please send $25 and allow 4-6 weeks for a photo id card based on the driver's license photo.


So far to get certified it only took:


*-8 hours digging through websites and making phone calls to find out what I needed


*- $30 for a core manual to study


*- $20 for the category manual


* - 3 days to read and study the manuals(I didn't need the 30 hour course since I was certified before and have a degree in Agronomy)


* - $ 50 for the application and test fee


* - drive 1 hour each way plus $20 gas to take the test


* - 8 hours lost income for the day to go to and take the tests


* - $25 for the actual ID Card.


For this trouble and expense, I get the prviledge of using one or two restricted use sprays a year and keep written records of the use and compliance with everything for 3 years after date of application.


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## jobe05 (Feb 9, 2008)

All I had to do was pay $25 and sit through a very boring 6 hour class...........

The hardest part of the whole thing was staying awake and then waiting for my card in the mail.


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## grapeman (Feb 9, 2008)

The days of that up here are gone! When I first took the course and test it may have only been a full day's course and then the tests, but that was in 1976 so I don't remember for sure.


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## jobe05 (Feb 9, 2008)

I took mine about 5 years ago, but I am also registered under a license holder. He went through a lot more than I did.

I remember when I was doing Property Management in NY back in 85 or so the law and restrictions on pesticides and fertilizers in open areas were changing fast. I think thats when posting the lawns with those little flags started to warn people that you put nitrogen down................. sigh.......


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## grapeman (Feb 9, 2008)

Well if you put down ammonium nitrate on the lawn it could be hazardous. Some kid might come along and gather up the granules until he got a pound or so, add a little *** and a fuse and he could blow up a city block like in Oklahoma City! 


You must have other permits needed for working with the fire equipment.


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## jobe05 (Feb 9, 2008)

We have other requirements and certifications on the fire side, thats a whole other story............. How we crossed Fire with Pest control I'll never know but it's another service that we provide commercially that I may get rid off. A lot of cost and liability for an $80 service.


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