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Texas Department of Agriculture Pesticide Division

Texas Department of Agriculture Pesticide Division. Todd Staples, Commissioner Jimmy Bush Assistant Commissioner for Pesticides. Texas Department of Agriculture Structural Pest Control Service P.O. Box 12847, Austin, TX 78711-2847 PERRY CERVANTES 512-463-7692.

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Texas Department of Agriculture Pesticide Division

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  1. Texas Department of AgriculturePesticide Division Todd Staples, Commissioner Jimmy Bush Assistant Commissioner for Pesticides

  2. Texas Department of AgricultureStructural Pest Control ServiceP.O. Box 12847, Austin, TX 78711-2847PERRY CERVANTES 512-463-7692

  3. How to become licensed as a Pesticide Applicator both Agriculturally and Structurally

  4. BRIEF HISTORY • September 2007 the Structural Pest Control Board became a part of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Program and is now known as the Structural Pest Control Service. • There are 2 laws that we work under, The Agriculture side works under Chapter 76 of the Agriculture Code and SPCS works under the Occupations Code Chapter 1951

  5. Agriculture Licensing An individual is required to be licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture when applying Restricted-Use Pesticides, State-Limited-Use Pesticides, and/or Regulated Herbicides.

  6. Agriculture Licensing Commercial and Non Commercial Political exams taken on the Agriculture side may be taken at the various regional offices and exams sites throughout the state. Please check the website for the schedule www.texasagriculture.gov look under programs by division, under pesticide programs, agricultural pesticide applicator, pesticide exams.

  7. Agriculture Licensing:-Private Applicator-Person producing an agriculture product on property that is owned or rented by the person or the person’s employer or is under the persons general control -Non-Commercial Regular and Political-performing pesticide applications as part of your job, does not qualify as Private or Commercial-Commercial-Person who operates a business or is employed by a business that applies, Restricted Use or State Limited Use pesticides

  8. Agriculture Licensing-Private Applicator • For this purpose a private applicator license will work at a school for use on the school farm or greenhouse but not in other areas of the school IE football/soccer fields. • To acquire a Private applicator license, • One must take a class from the Texas Agri-Life extension service • Pass the Private Applicator exam • Submit $60 for the license fee

  9. Agriculture Licensing-Private Applicator • License is good for 5 years • 15 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) must be attained in the 5 year period of issuance • Of those 15 CEU’s, at minimum,2 must be in L&R and 2 in IPM, the remaining 11 may be in other educational hours approved by the Department

  10. Agriculture Licensing: Commercial and Non Commercial Political • Must take and pass General (free), L & R (free), and at least one category exam ($24 per attempt) to obtain license. Categories include: • Agricultural Pest Control, including animal pest control a) Field Crop b) Fruit Nut and vegetable c) Weed and Brush Control d) Predatory Animal Control e) Farm storage Pest Control and Fumigation f) Animal Pest Control g) Citrus Pest Control h) Livestock Protection Collar Application

  11. Agriculture Licensing: Commercial and Non Commercial Political • Forest Pest Control • Ornamental and Turf Pest Control A) Plant Pest And Weed Control B) Greenhouse Pest Control • Seed Treatment • Right Of Way Pest Control • Aquatic Pest Control A) Aquatic Plant and Animal Pest Control B) Anti Fouling Paint • Demonstration and Research • Regulatory Pest Control • Aerial • Chemigation • A) Vector Control for Non Commercial Health Related Pests

  12. Agriculture Licensing: Commercial and Non Commercial Political CEU REQUIREMENTS • Must obtain 5 CEUs within license period (12 months) • Of 5 CEUs must have at least 2 of these 3 within the 5: Laws and Regulations, Drift Minimization and IPM. The other 3 may be obtained in other department approved CEUs

  13. Agriculture Licensing: Commercial and Non Commercial Political • Commercial Licenses are $180 annually • Non Commercial Licenses are $120 annually • Non Commercial Political $12annually

  14. Training of Unlicensed Employees on the Agriculture Side • Licensed applicators employed by political subdivisions (IE YOU) who supervise unlicensed employees that make any pesticide applications are responsible for assuring that the following requirements are met: A) Unlicensed employee obtains 5 CEUs (those same type that are required for the Non Commercial Political applicator) OR

  15. Training of Unlicensed Employees on the Agriculture Side B) OR OR OR Unlicensed employee is trained on the appropriate laws and regulations pertaining to pesticide use, the label information for the use of all pesticides that are applied and pesticide safety training. **This one can be done by the LICENSED PERSON so don’t go telling your boss Im making you ALL go to a CEU course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

  16. Training of Unlicensed Employees on the Agriculture Side A record of training received or CEUs obtained by the unlicensed person shall be kept for period of 2 years and made available for inspection upon request. The record may be a Certificate of completion, CEUs Certificate, or training on a form prescribed by the department

  17. Training of Unlicensed Employees on the Agriculture Side • Employees that are not licensed may work under the Direct Supervision of a Licensed Employee. • An individual is considered under the direct supervision when acting under the instructions and control of a licensed applicator who is responsible for the actions of the unlicensed individual. • Licensed applicator must be available when and if needed but does not have to be on-site unless designated by the label (has to be within reason, cell phone is fine as long as your in the area)

  18. Training of Unlicensed Employees on the Agriculture Side • A licensed applicator is responsible for assuring that the unlicensed individual is knowledgeable of the label requirements and rules and regulations governing the use of pesticides. • Complete DIRECT SUPERVISION AFFIDAVIT • A licensed applicator satisfies the requirements of this section by training the unlicensed person as a TRAINER under the Federal Worker Protection Standard.

  19. Agriculture Licensing and Reciprication with the Structural Pest Control ServiceIf you are licensed with the SPCS, you may recipricate the followingcategories:SPCS Lawn and Ornamental PLUS Weed Control will transfer to the AGRICULTURE Lawn and Ornamental

  20. Agriculture Licensing and Reciprication with the Structural Pest Control ServiceSPCS Weed Control will transfer to the AGRICULTURE Right of WayThe General exam grade will transfer, in order that you may transfer the grades from SPCS to Agriculture, you must take the Agriculture Laws and Regulations exam

  21. SWITCH

  22. Structural Pest Control Licensing and Reciprication with the Agriculture side THERE IS NONE!!

  23. Structural Pest Control Licensing and Reciprication with the Agriculture side There is no reciprocity from the Agriculture side to the SPCS side. An applicator does get credit for having been licensed for 12 months out of the last 24 months, but no categories are matched. We will speak more on how this works later.

  24. Structural Pest Control Licensing Apprentice- Beginning employee , whose training program is the responsibility of the responsible Certified Applicator Apprentice once registered must have Verifiable Training completed. There is a 20 hour classroom training, 40 hour on the job training and an 8 hour category specific training that must be recorded and kept by the responsible CA

  25. Structural Pest Control Licensing APPRENTICE continued- • Until ALL the hours have been completed, a Responsible CA will be physically present for the applications done by the Apprentice • Once completed the Responsible CA shall meet face to face at least 3 times a week and the apprentice may work alone.

  26. Structural Pest Control Licensing APPRENTICE continued- • To go from Apprentice to Tech or Non-Commercial CA • Must take a Tech/Non Commercial training course-once taken you do not have to take it again, please save the Certificate of Completion • Once taken, the person may take either the Tech or the Non Commercial Certified Applicator exam

  27. Structural Pest Control Licensing APPRENTICE continued- • If the apprentice does not become a TECH or NON COMMERCIAL CA within the year, then the apprentice must re-register and do all the verifiable training hours again.

  28. Structural Pest Control Licensing TECHNICIAN • Because of the ability to take the class and go immediately to become a NON COMMERCIAL CA, we do not have many NON COMM APPRENTICES OR TECHNICIANS. • If it is chosen by the school to register apprentices, then once they take the TECH/NON COMMERCIAL CA class, the person can either become a TECH OR NON COMM CA by examination.

  29. Structural Pest Control Licensing TECHNICIAN • To sign up for an exam, the apprentice must send in a Technician Exam Application and we request that be done 30 days in advance of the date of exam that they choose. • SPCS exams are pre-set dates in cities throughout the state, at this time THEY ARE NOT BEING DONE IN ANY OF OUR REGIONAL OFFICES.

  30. Structural Pest Control Licensing TECHNICIAN • Exam sites and dates are located at the following address • www.texasagriculture.gov/spcs

  31. Structural Pest Control Licensing Non Commercial Political Certified Applicator • To become a Non Commercial Political Certified Applicator one must take a Non Commercial CA training class. • Once completed, you may sign up for an exam • Check the website for dates and test city

  32. Structural Pest Control Licensing Non Commercial Political Certified Applicator • Pick a date or city • Fill out and send in an exam application for Certified Applicator License, please send money as well. • You may also fill this out on-line at our website

  33. Structural Pest Control Licensing Non Commercial Political Certified Applicator • At minimum to receive a license you will need to take the General exam and a category. • Exams are $50 per exam and you may include your $85 license fee at this time. • Note: If your license fee is included at the time of exam application, once we grade your exams, we can issue the license, if the license fee is not included, we will let you know you passed and ask for license fees at that time, it just takes a little longer.

  34. Structural Pest Control Licensing Non Commercial Certified Applicator • Intitial license fee is $85 and renewals after that are $80 annually • This application counts towards both a Commercial as well as a Non Commercial so please indicate that on the paperwork. The requirements are different to receive a Commercial license so it is important that you indicate that this is for a Non-Commercial license.

  35. Structural Pest Control Licensing Commercial Applicators • Have at least 12 months of verifiable pest control experience out of the past 24 months and have possessed a SPCS Tech license for at least 6 months • Have a degree in the biological sciences from an accredited college or university (we ask that you attach official transcripts) degrees such as : Agronomy, Entomology, Biology are accepted and may be associates or bachelor degrees

  36. Structural Pest Control Licensing Commercial Applicators • I am not currently licensed as a technician with the SPCS but I have proof of previous employment or experience in the industry or technical field experience of at least 12 months out of the past 24 months from a previous occupation-attach a signed and notarized statement from previous employer or other applicable documents. THIS IS WHERE YOUR AG LICENSE COUNTS!!!

  37. Structural Pest Control Licensing For Non Commercial Applicators 4. I have attended or will attend the approved Non Commercial Certified Applicator training course on _____________(date) (Only applies to those seeking Non Commercial Licensure) Enclose a copy of training course Certificate This is where you would fall if you took the class

  38. Structural Pest Control Licensing For Non Commercial Applicators By law, if you have received a Non Commercial license with SPCS, you must maintain it for a minimum of 2 years before you can transfer it to a Commercial License.

  39. For More Information PERRY CERVANTES 512-463-7692 1-800-TELL-TDA WWW.TEXASAGRICULTURE.GOV WWW.TEXASAGRICULTURE.GOV/SPCS

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