A group of congressmen have signed a letter to EPA Administrator Pruitt asking him to prevent age restrictions on qualified pesticide applicators through the certification and training rule. NAAA worked with Congressman Bob Gibbs’ (R-OH) office to both draft the letter and get members of Congress to sign it.

 

NAAA has reported regularly on this rule, which would set the minimum age for commercial applicators at 18 years old, even if a person can pass all required testing and continuing education unit requirements and wears proper protective equipment. It would also set baseline standards for state certification of pesticide applicators, mandates that states recertify applicators at least once every five years, and mandates that states have a certification category for aerial application that requires applicators to pass an exam, earn continuing education units or both.

 

Most recently, EPA delayed the rule’s implementation until May 22, 2018. NAAA hopes that, with congressional support, EPA will amend the rule to eliminate the age requirement.