Iowa Certified Applicator Core Manual
UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions and
CORECT Answers
Commercial applicator - CORRECT ANSWER - person who uses pesticide on any
property of another person for payment
Public Applicator - CORRECT ANSWER - persons who use pesticide as state, county,
municipal, or government employees
Non-commercial applicators - CORRECT ANSWER - persons who apply restricted use
pesticides on land owned, rented, or leased by applicator
Private applicators - CORRECT ANSWER - persons who apply pesticides for the
production of an agricultural commodity on property owned by themselves or employers
Certified handlers - CORRECT ANSWER - persons employed by a licensed commercial
applicator who handle pesticides under supervision of a qualified applicator
Certification and recertification requirements for Iowa pesticide applicators - CORRECT
ANSWER - Must be employed by company that is licensed in pest control
21 day grace period from day of initial employment to meet certification requirements
Recertification - 3 year qualification cycle. Test every third year or attending approved
continuing instruction courses (CIC) every year for EACH category you are certified.
CICs offered on calendar year basis. CICs cannot be made up if you forget and you cannot attend
2 in one year to count for future years
what agency regulates pesticide use in the US - CORRECT ANSWER - Environmental
protection agency
,Summarize pesticide registration and re-registration - CORRECT ANSWER - FIFRA
requires EPA to regulate sale and use of pesticides through registration and labeling.
Registration decisions based on human and environmental health impact.
Inconsistent use with label instructions is illegal
Re-registration
EPA constantly reviews older pesticides to compare with new findings to conclude if they are
still safe
Understand the penalties for violations of FIFRA - CORRECT ANSWER - Civil penalties
as much as $6500
Criminal penalties up to $25000, one year in prison, or both.
FIFRA - CORRECT ANSWER - Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
Passed in 1947. Regulates production, transportation, sale, use, and disposal of all pesticides.
FFDCA - CORRECT ANSWER - Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
Residues can remain on food, measured in ppm, ppb, or ppt
EPA sets allowable residue levels (tolerances) under FFDCA. Reasonable certainty of no harm.
FQPA - CORRECT ANSWER - Amended both FIFRA and FFDCA setting tougher
standard for pesticides used on food.
Established single health based standard to be used when assessing risks of pesticide in food.
Dietary exposure and non-occupational exposure.
residue - CORRECT ANSWER - The amount of pesticide remaining in or on raw farm
products or foods.
Tolerance - CORRECT ANSWER - maximum amount of pesticide that may legally
remain in or on raw farm product intended for consumption
,Describe who is protected by the WPS - CORRECT ANSWER - Worker Protection
Standard
Aimed at reducing risk of poisonings, injuries, and exposure to ag workers and handlers.
Protects workers on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses from occupational exposure to
pesticides.
Explain how ESA relates to pesticides - CORRECT ANSWER - Endangered Species Act
Program for the conservation of endangered plants and animals and their habitats.
Pesticides affect endangered and threatened species through runoff and drift.
12 species in Iowa protected - 7 animal, 5 plant
Summarize RCRA - CORRECT ANSWER - Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
EPA controls hazardous waste from "cradle to grave."
Generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal.
List the requirements of pesticide applicator records - CORRECT ANSWER -
Commercial, public, and noncommercial need records of applied pesticides for 3 years after date
of application
Pesticide records must include - CORRECT ANSWER - Name and certification number of
the licensee
Name and address of the landowner or customer
Address of the place of application of a restricted use pesticide
Date of pesticide application
Trade name of pesticide product used
Quantity of pesticide product used and the concentration or rate of application
Temperature and direction and velocity of the wind at the time
Use of restricted pesticides
Time pesticide application begins and ends
, Describe the Sensitive Crop Directory - CORRECT ANSWER - Registry that identifies
locations of pesticide-sensitive crops and apiaries throughout Iowa.
Listed are those most susceptible to drift damage.
Examples - vineyards, orchards, organic crops, fruits and vegetable crops
Describe the Iowa Bee Rule - CORRECT ANSWER - Cooperation between beekeepers
and applicators to prevent killing of bees.
Apiary owners register their location with state.
Between 8 am and 6 pm an applicator shall NOT apply a pesticide labeled as toxic to bees or
blooming crops when within 1 mile of registered apiary.
List the notification requirements for urban pesticide applicators - CORRECT ANSWER -
Applicators within urban areas must post signs at start of application and display for at least 24
hours.
Prenotification - any person asked to be notified must be provided notification in writing, in
person, or by phone stating the time of application at least 1 day before application.
Summarize the Iowa atrazine management rules - CORRECT ANSWER - Atrazine is a
restricted use pesticide due to ground and surface water concerns.
Use limitations
Limited to 2.5 lbs or less of active ingredient per acre per calendar year
23 counties with 1.5 lbs or less restriction
Not mixed or loaded within 100 ft of sinkhole, well, lake, etc.
Not applied within 50 ft
Recognize the requirements of on-site containment of pesticides - CORRECT ANSWER -
Non-mobile bulk pesticide storage containers must be located within a watertight secondary
containment facility used to prevent runoff.
If you store for 30 days and mix more than 300 gallons or pounds of product, facility is
considered a permanent pesticide storage/mixing site.
UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions and
CORECT Answers
Commercial applicator - CORRECT ANSWER - person who uses pesticide on any
property of another person for payment
Public Applicator - CORRECT ANSWER - persons who use pesticide as state, county,
municipal, or government employees
Non-commercial applicators - CORRECT ANSWER - persons who apply restricted use
pesticides on land owned, rented, or leased by applicator
Private applicators - CORRECT ANSWER - persons who apply pesticides for the
production of an agricultural commodity on property owned by themselves or employers
Certified handlers - CORRECT ANSWER - persons employed by a licensed commercial
applicator who handle pesticides under supervision of a qualified applicator
Certification and recertification requirements for Iowa pesticide applicators - CORRECT
ANSWER - Must be employed by company that is licensed in pest control
21 day grace period from day of initial employment to meet certification requirements
Recertification - 3 year qualification cycle. Test every third year or attending approved
continuing instruction courses (CIC) every year for EACH category you are certified.
CICs offered on calendar year basis. CICs cannot be made up if you forget and you cannot attend
2 in one year to count for future years
what agency regulates pesticide use in the US - CORRECT ANSWER - Environmental
protection agency
,Summarize pesticide registration and re-registration - CORRECT ANSWER - FIFRA
requires EPA to regulate sale and use of pesticides through registration and labeling.
Registration decisions based on human and environmental health impact.
Inconsistent use with label instructions is illegal
Re-registration
EPA constantly reviews older pesticides to compare with new findings to conclude if they are
still safe
Understand the penalties for violations of FIFRA - CORRECT ANSWER - Civil penalties
as much as $6500
Criminal penalties up to $25000, one year in prison, or both.
FIFRA - CORRECT ANSWER - Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
Passed in 1947. Regulates production, transportation, sale, use, and disposal of all pesticides.
FFDCA - CORRECT ANSWER - Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
Residues can remain on food, measured in ppm, ppb, or ppt
EPA sets allowable residue levels (tolerances) under FFDCA. Reasonable certainty of no harm.
FQPA - CORRECT ANSWER - Amended both FIFRA and FFDCA setting tougher
standard for pesticides used on food.
Established single health based standard to be used when assessing risks of pesticide in food.
Dietary exposure and non-occupational exposure.
residue - CORRECT ANSWER - The amount of pesticide remaining in or on raw farm
products or foods.
Tolerance - CORRECT ANSWER - maximum amount of pesticide that may legally
remain in or on raw farm product intended for consumption
,Describe who is protected by the WPS - CORRECT ANSWER - Worker Protection
Standard
Aimed at reducing risk of poisonings, injuries, and exposure to ag workers and handlers.
Protects workers on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses from occupational exposure to
pesticides.
Explain how ESA relates to pesticides - CORRECT ANSWER - Endangered Species Act
Program for the conservation of endangered plants and animals and their habitats.
Pesticides affect endangered and threatened species through runoff and drift.
12 species in Iowa protected - 7 animal, 5 plant
Summarize RCRA - CORRECT ANSWER - Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
EPA controls hazardous waste from "cradle to grave."
Generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal.
List the requirements of pesticide applicator records - CORRECT ANSWER -
Commercial, public, and noncommercial need records of applied pesticides for 3 years after date
of application
Pesticide records must include - CORRECT ANSWER - Name and certification number of
the licensee
Name and address of the landowner or customer
Address of the place of application of a restricted use pesticide
Date of pesticide application
Trade name of pesticide product used
Quantity of pesticide product used and the concentration or rate of application
Temperature and direction and velocity of the wind at the time
Use of restricted pesticides
Time pesticide application begins and ends
, Describe the Sensitive Crop Directory - CORRECT ANSWER - Registry that identifies
locations of pesticide-sensitive crops and apiaries throughout Iowa.
Listed are those most susceptible to drift damage.
Examples - vineyards, orchards, organic crops, fruits and vegetable crops
Describe the Iowa Bee Rule - CORRECT ANSWER - Cooperation between beekeepers
and applicators to prevent killing of bees.
Apiary owners register their location with state.
Between 8 am and 6 pm an applicator shall NOT apply a pesticide labeled as toxic to bees or
blooming crops when within 1 mile of registered apiary.
List the notification requirements for urban pesticide applicators - CORRECT ANSWER -
Applicators within urban areas must post signs at start of application and display for at least 24
hours.
Prenotification - any person asked to be notified must be provided notification in writing, in
person, or by phone stating the time of application at least 1 day before application.
Summarize the Iowa atrazine management rules - CORRECT ANSWER - Atrazine is a
restricted use pesticide due to ground and surface water concerns.
Use limitations
Limited to 2.5 lbs or less of active ingredient per acre per calendar year
23 counties with 1.5 lbs or less restriction
Not mixed or loaded within 100 ft of sinkhole, well, lake, etc.
Not applied within 50 ft
Recognize the requirements of on-site containment of pesticides - CORRECT ANSWER -
Non-mobile bulk pesticide storage containers must be located within a watertight secondary
containment facility used to prevent runoff.
If you store for 30 days and mix more than 300 gallons or pounds of product, facility is
considered a permanent pesticide storage/mixing site.
