Stay Informed

New state pesticide rules went into effect on Jan. 4 of this year, but growers have until Jan. 1, 2024, before the new rules are enforced, according to the Indiana Pesticide Review Board and the Office of the Indiana State Chemist.

The revisions are the result of new federal rules adopted in 2017 that change requirements for certified applicators using restricted-use pesticides.

One of the major changes is that only fully certified applicators will be allowed to use restricted-use pesticides (RUPs). This new restriction will apply to both private applicators (farmers) and commercial applicators.

“Supervision of noncertified applicators or registered technicians using RUPs will no longer be allowed,” the Office of the State Chemist said.

The standards for becoming certified remain unchanged.

Trainings are planned for this year to give Indiana farmers and other applicators an opportunity to become certified. More information about these is available at www.oisc.purdue.edu/pesticide.

Some of the changes also affect commercial applicators and general-use pesticides.

Information on the revised pesticide rules, frequently asked questions about the rule changes, exam dates and sign-up, training sessions, study materials and more are available on the Office of the Indiana State Chemist’s website, www.oisc.purdue.edu/pesticide.