Governor Reynolds extended the end date of the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration to April 30, 2020. As part of that decision, additional declaration language was added regarding commercial pesticide applicators who are not currently certified.
The declaration provides an opportunity for companies to hire new applicators during the Emergency Declaration period using the private applicator exam. See the full press release from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship for details.
The association has been working diligently with Governor Reynolds and Secretary Naig on the commercial pesticide applicator certification issue.
We would like to thank the Governor and Secretary for their leadership in providing a solution in these difficult circumstances and continuing to recognize it is in the vital interest of the state and the country that the food production system in the United States remains as uninterrupted as possible.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created delays in processing and mailing pesticide applicator cards and certifications. Applicators can view the status of their certifications on the Department’s public search portal.
For more information, contact the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Pesticide Bureau at pesticides
iowaagriculture
gov (pesticidesiowaagriculturegov) or 515-281-8591.
