Private pesticide applicator training changes effective Jan. 1, 2025
By Wayne Flanary, CPAg, CCA University of Missouri Buchanan County Extension Submitted to Corner Post
Currently, Private Pesticide Applicator license allows producers to purchase and apply restricted use pesticides. Pesticides categorized as general use can be purchased without a license. Products that are restricted use, require applicators to have a Private Pesticide Applicator license. The license is good for five years and training conducted by the University of Missouri Extension Service and the license is issued by Missouri Dept of Agriculture.
In 2017, the EPA Certification and Training Rule was created to drive changes for more uniform pesticide applicator training by states and also because of increased litigation against EPA. State Departments of Agriculture were required to submit a plan to EPA for approval then sent back to states for modification. In Missouri, new regulations were published in Missouri Register on June 17, 2024. Below are some of the changes.
One of the new changes in the law increased the standards of competency from five to eighteen. Also, there are new categories of licensing. Private Pesticide Applicators will be category 20 and additional categories will be added as 21 Soil Fumigation, 22 Non-soil/Stored Feed Fumigation and 23 Aerial Application.
New is Certified Non-certified Restricted Use Pesticide Applicators license. If applicants are not producers of agricultural commodities as defined in a 2CSR 70-25,010(2), they cannot receive a private applicator license. They will need to examine and apply for a Certified Non-commercial Applicator license.
Changes affecting families are those with children below 18 years of age. New is a Certified Provisional Applicator (must be 16 or 17 years of age and be an immediate family member of private applicator). This is a new license, and children are not allowed younger than 16 years of age to apply and mix restricted use pesticides.
Growers currently have employees who work under their license. In this situation, Private Applicators will no longer be able to supervise the use of Restricted Use Pesticide by employees (for example, farm employee mixing or applicator running a sprayer). Employees will need to be licensed such as Certified Non-certified Restricted Use Pesticide Applicator.
The University of Missouri Extension Service is required to provide the training. The training shall be uniform across the state and in length. Also, there was a fee compared to which has been free over the years. The fee was established from guidance of commodity groups and farm organizations. The fees will support the development and future content of pesticide safety and application.
For more information, contact Wayne Flanary, Field Specialist in Agronomy, at 816-279-1691, University of Missouri Extension Service.
