April 19, 2024

Reminder: Revisions to Indiana pesticide regulations

New laws start this year

In accordance with the 1990 farm bill, all private applicators are required by law to keep record of their federally restricted use pesticide applications for a period of two years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Indiana has made several changes to state pesticide regulations. Under the revised rules, only fully certified applicators will be allowed to use restricted-use products.

Supervision of non-certified applicators or registered technicians using RUPs will no longer be allowed.

This new restriction will apply to both private and commercial applicators. The standards to become certified will remain unchanged.

Supervision of GUP Applicators

Commercial applicators using general-use pesticides will still be required to be fully certified. Those commercial applicators can still supervise non-certified GUP applicators.

Commercial applicators supervising for-hire GUP applications may do so by either being physically present at the work site or by ensuring the non-certified applicator is a registered technician.

Under the revised rules, there are now three options to become an RT, including:

1. Pass the Core exam;

2. Attend a full-day Core training with no exam; or

3. Attend a half-day RT training with no exam.

All trainings are provided by Purdue Pesticide Programs. Get details at https://tinyurl.com/2p8jcmct.

Record Keeping

Applicators must note a start and stop time for each application.

Several other record-keeping items have been added including: the agency that issued the applicator’s certification, if not OISC; the applicator’s certification category; any state registration number for a state special local need or emergency exemption product; and a signature or confirmation documentation for the person ordering or receiving the product.

A summary of the record-keeping requirements is available at https://tinyurl.com/yeyn5pcf.

Erica Quinlan

Erica Quinlan

Field Editor