Changes Coming to Pesticide Applicator Certification

By:  Brian Rowe, Pesticide Section Manager

Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division

Michigan Department of Agriculture

 

Beginning January 1, 2010, the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) will implement changes to the pesticide applicator recertification by seminar program.

 

Over the summer months MDA has been working with several pesticide applicator associations to discuss and recommend changes to the pesticide applicator recertification program.  Two changes have been approved and will be implemented beginning January 1, 2010.  These changes do not affect applicators with credentials that expire December 31, 2009.

 

The first change involves the way credits are awarded for recertification seminars.  Currently, MDA grants one credit for two hours of lecture style training and one credit for one hour of hands on training.  Beginning January 1, 2010, MDA will award one credit for each hour of training (regardless of hands on or lecture method).  This will greatly simplify the management of credits in training programs that use breakout sessions that are typically 50 minutes to an hour in length.

 

The second change is related to the number of credits required for an applicator to recertify all or part of their credential.  This change does not affect applicators that are renewing this year (credential expiration of December 31, 2009).  Beginning with applicators that expire in December of 2010, the number of credits required to renew all or part of a credential are as follows:

 

Applicator Type	Credits Required
Commercial Core	8
Commercial Category (each)	8
Registered Technician Core	8
Registered Technician Category (each)	8
Private Core	16
Standards (fumigation/aerial) (each)	2

 

MDA recognizes that credits earned before January 1, 2010 by applicators that expire in December of 2010 or 2011 will have to be equalized so they carry the same value as credits earned under the new one credit for one hour system.  MDA anticipates this may be as simple as multiplying the credit value by two for credits earned before January 1, 2010.

 

MDA and associations are also working on a technology solution to replace the use of bubble sheets.  MDA hopes to have a new option soon.

 

If you have any questions about the upcoming changes to the recertification by seminar program, please contact Brian Rowe, Pesticide Section manager at roweb@michigan.gov.

For more information on Pesticide Applicators Certification Click here