In accordance with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ recommendations designed to slow the spread of COVID-19, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has canceled pesticide applicator certification exams. Under the governor's executive order, the typical classroom-style exams are prohibited.

To help ensure Michigan’s private pesticide applicators (farmers applying restricted-use pesticides on their own land or crops) are in compliance with the law, MDARD is offering renewing and new private applicators the ability to receive Michigan private applicator certification through oral interviews by phone. Please be advised that the department is not able to offer this option for commercial applicators at this time.

According to the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, certification for private agricultural applicators (e.g., farmers applying on their own fields) can be accomplished via an oral fact-finding interview administered by an authorized representative of the department. 

The interview will consist of multiple choice or true-and-false questions based on content from the National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Manual. Questions will be read by an MDARD representative. Applicants must respond orally and obtain at least a 70 percent score to pass. This opportunity can only be offered for the private applicator core exam.

To schedule an oral interview, contact Lisa Graves at 517-284-5653 or [email protected].

MDARD continues to work with the administration and federal government to explore options for both commercial and private applicators to certify and perform essential tasks for agricultural production to meet the food and feed industry needs of the people of Michigan and beyond.

Source: MDARD, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.