Vermont Pesticide Licensing and Certification
About 5 of every 50 questions on a Vermont Core practice exam come from this topic.
Sources checked
What to know
Under 6 V.S.A. chapter 87 the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets may require company licenses and applicator certification, and the Vermont Rule for Control of Pesticides (effective February 24, 2023) does. Using or supervising use on the lands and homes of others needs commercial certification; an employee using Class A or B products on the employer's property is a non-commercial applicator; a certified private applicator uses Class A products on owned or rented land to produce an agricultural commodity. A business treating another's property needs a company license, paid or not, that expires December 31; it employs certified applicators except workers under direct supervision and reports a departing certified applicator within 30 days. Direct supervision is physical, on-site supervision by a certified applicator able to calibrate equipment, never allowed for federally restricted use pesticides. Candidates must be 18, pass a written core exam whose standards include State and Federal law, direct supervision and professionalism, and be certified in each category and subcategory they work in, such as 5 Aquatic, 7A General Pest Control or 12 Soil Fumigation. Commercial and non-commercial certificates run January 1 to December 31, renew yearly for up to five years, then need training or re-examination, and lapse after 365 days; private certificates last five years. Exams may be retaken with no frequency limit. Sales representatives need Category 10; physicians and veterinarians using drugs are exempt. The Secretary may deny for a failed exam, make reciprocal agreements and revoke for noncompliance; crimes carry up to six months in prison.
Where it comes from
- 6 V.S.A. §§ 1104, 1107, 1112
- Vermont Rule for Control of Pesticides §§ 1.13, 1.15, 1.25, 1.48
- Vermont Rule for Control of Pesticides §§ 3.01, 3.04, 3.05
- Vermont Rule for Control of Pesticides §§ 3.06, 3.07, 3.10, 2.06
- Vermont Rule for Control of Pesticides §§ 6.02, 9.01, 9.02, 9.03, 10.01
Try a practice question
Under 6 V.S.A. § 1112, who may adopt rules requiring companies that conduct pesticide applications to be licensed and applicators to be certified?
- AThe Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets
- BThe Secretary of Natural Resources
- CThe Vermont Department of Health
- DThe Vermont Pesticide Advisory Council acting alone
Show the answer
The Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets. Section 1112(a) gives the Secretary (of the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets) power to require company licenses and applicator certification and to set reasonable requirements for them.
6 V.S.A. § 1112(a)