Pestiside License

[Doug406]

Who has a Pestiside license?? I have been looking into obtaining one to lawfully apply fertilizer and weed killer. Michigan law requires 2 years working under a Licensed contractor, or a batchlors degree and 1 year experience. How in the heck am I suppose to meet those requirments?? What are my choices?/ Are most of you guys providing fertilizing?? Are you all licensed. Mr. Nilsson, what advice can you give me.

[Lazer]

I'm in Michigan<p>You can lawfully apply fertilizer. No herbicides, including Pre-crab control.<p>Are you certified? Have a green card.<p>I obtained a green card when I was 18. I then worked with another sprayer to obtain my 2 years experience. I did not work full time. (That may be the loophole) Anyway after 2 years I had the necessary documentation to apply for a license.<p>

[MOW ED]

I know this doesn't help much because I am in Wisconsin but here we have to take a one day applicators class and pass a written test. You must be certified and licenced which just means that you pay $$ for both. <br>I have never heard of anyone being pulled over by the pesticide police.<br>You also can self-study and challenge the test without the class. Every 5 years you need to recert. This is the class for pesticide application (commercial) only. There are 20 total categories at $45.00 each if you want to be SUPERAPPLICATOR.

[Getmow]

My guys were pulled by the pesticide police here in Va. The result was an order to stop work until licensed or recieve a hefty fine. Six weeks later we were legal. Til then I didn't know Roundup required a license.<br>David

[HOMER]

In Al. you can't even apply fert. with weed killer. Friend of mine was spraying round-up at restaurant one mori=ning and Dept. of Agriculture guy just happened to drive by, asked to see his license, friend didn't have one, got warning if caught again $5000.00 fine!!! He told me and I spray no more! Don't even keep it on the truck. I called the Ag. guy last year to find out about the test, the next day he left a card on my front door. They do get out and look! I don't know what he was looking for, but I wasn't home when he got here.

[Evan528]

i live in pensylvania, was wandering if anyone knew the requirments here to appy fertilizers and herbicides? i do 5-6 step programs for many of my costomers an am scared of getting cought with out a license. this is a great money maker because of the cheap prices of products and the fast labor to aplly it. any help would be greatly appreciated.

[mountain man]

In class the instructor told us the way most people get caught is because competitors call in and complain. <p>Today, I got a survey call and it seemed that every other question had to do with pesticides, spraying, pre-m, etc. Several questions asked about the training of employees and who else sprayed. It made me think the Dept. of Ag. might be conducting this &quot;survey&quot; for enforcement purposes. If a distributor was conducting this survey, why would they care who in the company was spraying if you were buying their product. Maybe I am reading to much into this call, but everthing just didn't add up.

[jeffclc]

Evan- I just completed the process in PA. The first thing that you will need to do is to purchase study materials to pass two tests. You must pass a CORE test, and also a category test.<p>The CORE is a general knowledge of pesticides. It deals with safety, proper application methods, different types of pests/pesticides. <p>There are many (26?) different categories. For you, you would need to at least take 07 Lawn and Turf. You must have at least one category to be licensed.<p>The CORE test is closed book, and the category test is open book. Email me if you want more info on the actual tests.<p>After you pass both tests, you will be sent an applicators license. You still cannot legally apply pesticides. You must me employed or be a licensed business. To become a licensed business, you will have to submit an insurance certificate to the state that specifically states that pesticide applications are covered. <p>Once you have an applicators license, a business license, and the proper insurance, only then can you legaly appily pesticides. No license is necessary to put down straight fertilizer. ANY pesticide requires the license, even a bag of weed and feed from the hardware. <p>Contact your local Dept. of agriculture office to get info on the exams. It is probally too late for you to become licensed for the atart of the 00 season. You have to shcedule your test in advance, and it then takes 3 weeks to get your results. After that, it takes another 3 weeks to get the business license. So by the time you would order the materials, study, and get through the paperwork, you will be well past the forst application.<p>http://www.pested.psu.edu/index.html<br>http://www.pda.state.pa.us/<br>http://www.paturf.org <p>You will also have to obtain credits on a 3 year intervals to maintain your license. BTW what part of the state are you in???<p>Mountain Man,<br>I got a call today about a pesticide survey. They were mostly asking about insecticides, and the name Dylox came up often. They are supposed to send me a second part of the survey, and when I complete it, they are supposed to send me $10 for my time. Is this the same call you got???

[mountain man]

Jeffclc:<br>They offered me $10 if I completed the two part survey. One part on the phone and the other would be mailed to me once I completed the phone part. After answering pesticide and fertilizing questions, she said I was disqualified because I have a subcontractor treat for grubs. I think she said the survey was from an All Points Group. <p>What was strange is when I didn't answer the grub question correctly (at least for her survey). She and did not ask any more questions and ended the call . It is hard to get business owners to answer questions, if it was a supplier you would think they would not end the call so abruptly. I am sure they would want as much data as possible for their research.

[mountain man]

Jeffclc:<br>One additional thought: <br>Since you are in PA and I'm in NC, I am less inclined to think the Dept of Ag was having the survey done since each state handles their own Dept of AG.

[lawrence stone]

Good info jeff.<p>Evan go to the pa turfgrass council and<br>order the core book P2 and the turf book<br>P7 and while you are there get the tree book<br>P6. http://www.paturf.org/tg_pubs.htm<p>After you have read them cover a few times<br>go to the regional Ag office on any working<br>Monday and take the core and turf test.<p>Take the tree test at a later date. The turf test is easy for there are only about a half<br>dozen major bugs you have to worry about.<p>The tree test is another story for every dam<br>species of tree and shrub ther is a specific<br>bug that attacks them. The first thing you need to do is actually identify what type<br>of tree or shrub you are looking at.<br>When I took the test I thought I had aced it.<br>But since the senior Ag cop in my area was in<br>the greenhouse production biz like my late father he graded my test on the spot.<p>To my surprise I had got 7 of 35 questions<br>wrong and 11 wrong was considered a failing<br>grade. It's a multiple choice with two obviously wrong answers and two answers that<br>could be right depending on ones interpretation. <p>Check out Ohio Casulity for ins with a pesticide endorcement. It's only $400 a year<br>for a single operator with no inland marine.

[bdemir]

Doug if you live in midhigan here is the number to call 248-356-1701 a nice lady will tell you that the test is true and false for the core exam and for$50 you can take it as many times as you want for one year and then you pay another 50 for next year if you keep failing. She even says that you can come in and take it even two times in one day if there is room available. The test is made simple for people trying to get spraying jobs with a fert company. but you might have to hire someone with two years experience or work for someone for two years as far as the business end of it goes. They will explain the process better. Good Luck<br>

[Evan528]

god dam its complicated! all that just so i can spray for some weeds using a backpack sprayer. i think im just goin to do it elleagaly for a while an hope i dont get cought. all they out checking on saturdays?

[lawrence stone]

Sure it's complicated.<p>But what seperates the men from the boys is the difference in GROSS PROFIT MARGIN.<p>It's sorta like being a lawyer and belonging<br>to the BAR. Your in an exclusive club that requires a certain standard of entry. But some days I can make more<br>per hour than the average lawyer will a lot<br>less overhead.<p>The only difference is when people see me<br>drving down their street they are HAPPY to<br>see me.

[bdemir]

Good point lawrence.

[jeffclc]

larry- Perhaps it is different in the various regions of the state. Here in region IV, we have to schedule the specific test in avdance. No walk ins are permitted.<p>They also are using computer corrected fill in the little circle awnser sheets. They have to send them off to be graded. <p>Maybe it has changes since you took your test, or maybe it is different in the different regions. <p>The turfgrass council has the best prices on the study materials.<p>Mountain Man- That was the same call I got. I'll let you know what part two of the survey was. Did anyone else get the call? Wonder how they got the list of names???

[gorrell]

Gentlemen, I'm licensed in the state where I reside(Missouri), and also in Illinois. In both states you take a core test and then whatever else that fits your situation. I've also taken the turf and ornamental test as well. It may not be widely known, but Illinois accepts reciprocity with it's bordering states on pesticide licensing. All you have to do is send a copy of your license and the proper fee amount( I think it was $35/ year for mine), and your proof of insurance and they'll issue an Illinois license. Thanks, Lynn