Iowa Certified Applicator Core Manual
Exam 2025 Questions and 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
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 1
,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
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 2
,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
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 3
, 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
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 4
Exam 2025 Questions and 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
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 1
,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
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 2
,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
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 3
, 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
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 4
