MN Pesticide Applicators
Certification Exam Bank
1. Which federal agency is responsible for registering pesticides in the United States?
A. USDA
B. EPA
C. FDA
D. OSHA
Answer: B. EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency regulates pesticide registration under FIFRA.
2. Which of the following must always appear on a pesticide label?
A. Expiration date
B. EPA Registration Number
C. Manufacturer’s recommended retail price
D. Distributor’s sales license
Answer: B. EPA Registration Number
Every pesticide label must include the EPA Reg. No. which identifies the product’s
registration.
3. The term “Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP)” means:
A. The pesticide is less toxic and can be purchased without certification.
B. The pesticide is only available for use in agriculture.
,C. The pesticide may cause unreasonable adverse effects unless applied by a certified
applicator.
D. The pesticide cannot be used in Minnesota.
Answer: C. The pesticide may cause unreasonable adverse effects unless applied by a
certified applicator.
4. Which Minnesota agency enforces state pesticide laws?
A. Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
B. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
C. Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
D. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Answer: C. Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
5. What is the “signal word” indicating the highest toxicity?
A. Caution
B. Warning
C. Danger
D. Poison
Answer: D. Poison (with skull and crossbones)
“Danger/Poison” indicates the highest acute toxicity.
6. Which PPE (personal protective equipment) is required if the label states “avoid
inhalation of vapors or spray mist”?
A. Goggles
B. Respirator
C. Chemical-resistant gloves
D. Rubber boots
Answer: B. Respirator
,7. If a pesticide spill occurs on a paved surface, the first step should be to:
A. Wash it into a storm drain with water
B. Leave it to evaporate
C. Contain the spill and absorb it with an absorbent material
D. Spray herbicide on the spill
Answer: C. Contain the spill and absorb it with absorbent material
8. Drift can be reduced by:
A. Spraying during high winds
B. Using low-pressure and larger droplet size
C. Increasing nozzle height
D. Applying during hot, dry, sunny weather
Answer: B. Using low-pressure and larger droplet size
9. The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is intended to protect:
A. Only certified pesticide applicators
B. Farmworkers and pesticide handlers
C. Equipment manufacturers
D. Homeowners
Answer: B. Farmworkers and pesticide handlers
10. Triple-rinsed empty pesticide containers should be:
A. Buried on the farm
B. Reused for water storage
C. Recycled or disposed of according to state regulations
D. Burned in an open field
Answer: C. Recycled or disposed of according to state regulations
, 11. Which best describes pesticide leaching?
A. Pesticides breaking down in sunlight
B. Pesticides moving through soil into groundwater
C. Spray particles drifting in the wind
D. Pesticides being taken up by plants
Answer: B. Pesticides moving through soil into groundwater
12. When calibrating a sprayer, the main goal is to ensure:
A. The pesticide label can be ignored
B. Uniform and accurate application rates
C. Faster spraying to save fuel
D. Use of the smallest possible nozzles
Answer: B. Uniform and accurate application rates
13. Which type of pesticide formulation is most likely to cause phytotoxicity if
misused?
A. Dusts (D)
B. Wettable powders (WP)
C. Emulsifiable concentrates (EC)
D. Granules (G)
Answer: C. Emulsifiable concentrates (EC)
14. Backflow prevention devices are required to:
A. Increase spray pressure
B. Prevent contamination of water supplies during mixing/loading
C. Speed up tank filling
D. Keep pesticides from foaming
Certification Exam Bank
1. Which federal agency is responsible for registering pesticides in the United States?
A. USDA
B. EPA
C. FDA
D. OSHA
Answer: B. EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency regulates pesticide registration under FIFRA.
2. Which of the following must always appear on a pesticide label?
A. Expiration date
B. EPA Registration Number
C. Manufacturer’s recommended retail price
D. Distributor’s sales license
Answer: B. EPA Registration Number
Every pesticide label must include the EPA Reg. No. which identifies the product’s
registration.
3. The term “Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP)” means:
A. The pesticide is less toxic and can be purchased without certification.
B. The pesticide is only available for use in agriculture.
,C. The pesticide may cause unreasonable adverse effects unless applied by a certified
applicator.
D. The pesticide cannot be used in Minnesota.
Answer: C. The pesticide may cause unreasonable adverse effects unless applied by a
certified applicator.
4. Which Minnesota agency enforces state pesticide laws?
A. Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
B. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
C. Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
D. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Answer: C. Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
5. What is the “signal word” indicating the highest toxicity?
A. Caution
B. Warning
C. Danger
D. Poison
Answer: D. Poison (with skull and crossbones)
“Danger/Poison” indicates the highest acute toxicity.
6. Which PPE (personal protective equipment) is required if the label states “avoid
inhalation of vapors or spray mist”?
A. Goggles
B. Respirator
C. Chemical-resistant gloves
D. Rubber boots
Answer: B. Respirator
,7. If a pesticide spill occurs on a paved surface, the first step should be to:
A. Wash it into a storm drain with water
B. Leave it to evaporate
C. Contain the spill and absorb it with an absorbent material
D. Spray herbicide on the spill
Answer: C. Contain the spill and absorb it with absorbent material
8. Drift can be reduced by:
A. Spraying during high winds
B. Using low-pressure and larger droplet size
C. Increasing nozzle height
D. Applying during hot, dry, sunny weather
Answer: B. Using low-pressure and larger droplet size
9. The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is intended to protect:
A. Only certified pesticide applicators
B. Farmworkers and pesticide handlers
C. Equipment manufacturers
D. Homeowners
Answer: B. Farmworkers and pesticide handlers
10. Triple-rinsed empty pesticide containers should be:
A. Buried on the farm
B. Reused for water storage
C. Recycled or disposed of according to state regulations
D. Burned in an open field
Answer: C. Recycled or disposed of according to state regulations
, 11. Which best describes pesticide leaching?
A. Pesticides breaking down in sunlight
B. Pesticides moving through soil into groundwater
C. Spray particles drifting in the wind
D. Pesticides being taken up by plants
Answer: B. Pesticides moving through soil into groundwater
12. When calibrating a sprayer, the main goal is to ensure:
A. The pesticide label can be ignored
B. Uniform and accurate application rates
C. Faster spraying to save fuel
D. Use of the smallest possible nozzles
Answer: B. Uniform and accurate application rates
13. Which type of pesticide formulation is most likely to cause phytotoxicity if
misused?
A. Dusts (D)
B. Wettable powders (WP)
C. Emulsifiable concentrates (EC)
D. Granules (G)
Answer: C. Emulsifiable concentrates (EC)
14. Backflow prevention devices are required to:
A. Increase spray pressure
B. Prevent contamination of water supplies during mixing/loading
C. Speed up tank filling
D. Keep pesticides from foaming
