The University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

Training Sources for Recertifying Georgia Pesticide Applicators

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, as amended in 1972, requires that all pesticide applicators who use restricted use pesticides be certified. EPA regulations (171.8 (a) (2) Federal Register Vol. 40, No. 49, March 12, 1975) further require that States make "provisions to ensure that certified applicators continue to meet the requirements of changing technology and to assure a continuing level of competency and ability to use pesticides safely and properly."

The Georgia Department of Agriculture has been designated by the Governor and approved by EPA as the State Regulatory Authority to certify pesticide applicators in Georgia.

At the request of the Commissioner of Agriculture, the Director of the Georgia Cooperative Extension Service, University of Georgia, agreed to provide the necessary training for this program.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture requires that all commercial and private certified pesticide applicators in Georgia be recertified every 5 years from the date of original certification by one or two methods:

1. taking a new examination appropriate for the categories you are certified in, or
2. attending approved training sessions appropriate for your category. The requirements for private and commercial applicators are as follows:

Private Applicators

• Must obtain a minimum of 3 hours of credit over each 5-year period.

Commercial applicators

• Meetings held by Societies, Associations, Industry and the Cooperative Extension Service can earn a certain number of hours training credit as approved by the Georgia Department of Agriculture for specific categories. Training credit must be approved prior to the course. The number of hours earned will depend on the agenda of the meeting, and it is possible that a listed meeting will earn no credit. Check by phone or address one month prior to the course.
• This bulletin lists by category those meetings where training can be expected. Due to the uncertainty of the dates, location, starting time, and number of credit hours assigned a particular meeting, you will need to call or write for further details to the appropriate reference one month prior to the meeting.
• It will be your responsibility to select those meetings that are most appropriate for your category and the type of work that you do.

Video Training Materials

Several tapes are available through your local county extension office for recertification credit in every category except the structural categories. "Pesticide Recertification" is worth three hours of credit for commerical applicators; "IPM Update" and "Updating Pesticide Skills via Satellite" are each worth five hours of commercial credit. Private applicators may receive up to 2 hours of recertification credit for watching two hours from any video. You may not receive additional credit if you have already seen the tapes or attended the workshop(s) at which the tapes were recorded.

County agents (or other groups) may arrange meetings for applicators to watch the tapes. The Georgia Department of Agriculture must receive notification of the meeting at least two days in advance of the meeting. You may mail or fax the notification; you do not need to wait for approval. Contact your local county extension office for details.

Qualifications

• You should understand that industry and professional Associations and Society meetings usually require a registration fee, and may require membership. These organizations voluntarily participate in giving meeting attendees training credit toward recertification.
• Meetings sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service are usually free.

Questions

• Questions on Structural Pest Control regulations or your certification status in categories 28, 29, 30 should be directed to Jim Harron, Georgia Department of Agriculture, Entomology and Pesticide Division, Capitol Square, Atlanta, Ga. 30334, (404) 656-3641. For all other categories, direct your questions to Ag. Manager for Certification with the same division at (404) 656-4958.
• If your address changes, in order to continue receiving this booklet and licensing information, please notify the Ag. Manager for Certification.
• Questions on specific training meetings in this bulletin should be directed to the phone number or address listed for that meeting.

Those applicators certified in categories 28, 29, or 30 must earn 20 hours credit if license was issued after October 20, 1992. If issued before this date, you must earn only 10 hours credit.

Those applicators certified in the "add on" categories do not need to earn training credit for these specific categories, only the "primary categories."

Note: In order for your records to be updated you must have earned training credit at least 90 days prior to the expiration of your license. The Department of Agriculture will notify you about 15 months prior to the expiration of your license if you have not earned the necessary credits.

General

• Attendance by private applicators at most local county grower meetings sponsored by the County Extension Agent will earn one hour credit for each meeting attended.
• In any meeting for commercial or private applicator credit where two hours or more are involved there must be identified at least 30 minutes or more on pesticide safety (mixing, applying, storage, disposal, etc.) or an environmental issue involving pesticides (groundwater, chemigation, endangered species, etc.). If 30 minutes are not identified, a maximum of one hour will be given regardless of the length of the meeting.
• No single training session will be approved for commercial credit where the number of hours would be equal to the total hours required for recertification in a given category (such as 5 hrs. for the categories requiring 6, or 9 for those requiring 10).
• No single session will be given repeat credit during a calendar year. Each course is assigned a course number for identification and no single course number will be accepted for credit more than once.
• Announcements on dates, location and hours of recertification credit on some meetings will be made in the Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin. If you are not already receiving this weekly publication, you can request it without charge by writing to: Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin, Georgia Department of Agriculture, Capitol Square, Atlanta, GA 30334
• General questions on training should be directed to Paul Guillebeau or Detsy Bridges, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 (706) 542-1765.

Recertification Opportunities

Contact your local county extension office for recertification opportunities in your category(s). We regularly provide them with a list of upcoming recertification meetings.

Edited by Paul Guillebeau, Extension Entomologist
Prepared and Designed by Detsy Bridges

Laws & Legislation - 2

Departmental Publication ENT94-007 Revised June, 2000

The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and counties of the state cooperating. The Cooperative Extension Service offers educational programs, assistance and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability.

An Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Organization Committed to a Diverse Work Force

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 18 and June 30, 1914, The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.

Gale A. Buchanan, Dean and Director

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