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Hamilton County

Commercial Pesticide

Identifying Categories

One of the most frequent and difficult problems associated with becoming a certified commercial pesticide applicator is determining what categories in which you need to be certified. It is important to ask yourself where will you be spraying, what you will be spraying (including site and pest) and for who you will be spraying. The answer to these questions should provide enough information to determine what category or certification you will need.

For example, people often say they will be spraying grass with a weed killer. In order to spray grass, an applicator could be certified in Agriculture Plant (1A), Turf (3B), Right-of-Way (6) or as a private applicator; so it is really important to determine where they will be spraying the grass. For this reason, it is imperative to understand what the person will be spraying, where the person will be applying the pesticide and if the application will be for compensation.

 CategoryCategory Description
1AAgricultural PlantGrasslands, non-crop agricultural lands, production of agricultural crops (including vegetables, feed grains, soybeans and forage, small fruits, tree fruits, nuts, tobacco, peanut and cotton).
1BAgricultural AnimalOn animals including: beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, horses, goats, poultry and livestock. Places on or in which animals are confirmed (includes veterinarians who apply pesticides for hire).
1CWildlife DamageNon-domesticated vertebrates in rangeland and agricultural areas.
1DStump TreatmentCut stumps of woody plants in pastures, rangeland or lands in conservation reserve.
2ForestForests, forest nurseries and forest seed-producing areas.
3AOrnamentalMaintenance and production of ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers not included in 3C.
3BTurf PestMaintenance and production of turf - lawns, golf courses, turf farms.
3CInterior LandscapeProduction and maintenance of houseplants and other indoor ornamental plants kept or located within structures occupied by humans - houses, apartments, offices, shopping malls, other places of business and other dwelling places.
4Seed TreatmentsSeeds.
5Aquatic PestApplied to standing or running water (excludes applicators engaged in public health).
5SSewer Root ControlSewer line root control (Metam sodium and other products).
6Right-of-WayMaintenance of public roads, electric powerlines, pipelines, railway right-of-way or similar. Also includes applications specified in 7C.
7AWood DestroyingWood-destroyers - termites, powder post beetles, wood borers and wood rot fungus.
7BStored ProductsPests in stored grain and food products (stored product insects, cockroaches, rodents and birds), including fumigation.
7CIndustrial WeedWeeds near industrial structures (also parking lots and sidewalks).
7DHealth RelatedManagement and control of pests with medical or health significance (mosquitoes, flies, fleas, lice, bedbugs, ticks, mites, ants, stinging insects, spiders, cockroaches, rodents, skunks, birds and bats).
7EStructural PestPests in structures (rodents, birds, cockroaches, spiders, wasps, bees, flies, ants, fleas, ticks, bed bugs, invaders, skunks, squirrels and bats).
7FWood Preservation & Wood ProductsPoles, posts, cross-ties and wood products from damage by insects, fungi, marine organisms, weather deterioration or other wood-destroying agents.
8Public HealthGovernment employees only in public health programs for the management and control of pests having medical and public health significance.
9ANoxious WeedsGovernment employees only for control of weeds regulated under the noxious weed law.
9BRegulated PestGovernment employees for the control of federal or state regulated pests, other than noxious weeds.
10Demonstration & ResearchIndividuals who demonstrate to the public the proper techniques for application and use or conduct field research, which involves the use of pesticides or lab personnel engaged in pesticide research under certain environmental conditions.