College of Agriculture

State chemist’s office issues temporary regulatory compliance guidance in response to pandemic

Story by Abby Leeds
March 23, 2020

The Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC) is releasing new temporary guidance regarding compliance with state pesticide and fertilizer regulatory requirements in Indiana. This is in consideration of disruptions to normal operations being caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The following modifications are being implemented immediately but may be subject to change, as the COVID-19 issues continue to evolve. For updates, please visit https://www.oisc.purdue.edu/pesticide/:

All pesticide and fertilizer applicator certification training and examining sessions scheduled at Purdue University through May 17 have been canceled.
Group training and examining sessions at Purdue scheduled to occur after May 17 also may be subject to cancellation. However, for now these sessions are being evaluated on a week-to-week basis in the event that current guidance regarding COVID-19 changes.
Pesticide applicators using or supervising the use of restricted use pesticides (RUPs) during 2020 must be certified and licensed, just as has been required previously. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has not suspended or modified this legal requirement; therefore, OISC will not either.
OISC will suspend the Registered Technician requirements for pesticide and fertilizer applicators operating under the supervision of a certified applicator when using only general use pesticides (GUPs). The requirement to pass the Core exam and apply for a Registered Technician credential will be suspended through Dec. 31 unless another date is determined to be necessary by legal counsel.
All supervision requirements for noncertified applicators and registered technicians will remain in place. But new technicians will not be required to obtain a credential as long as the current situation exists.
Nothing in this temporary regulatory guidance shall exempt any applicator from complying with all other existing requirements, such as using a pesticide in a manner consistent with the product label directions.

Featured Stories

Two researchers seated at a conference table smile at the camera while holding nuts and trail mix.

Purdue researchers identify infrastructure and communication challenges as barriers to food safety in the low-moisture food industry

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Low-moisture foods such as dried fruits, seeds, tree nuts and wheat...

The exterior of Stewart Center, located on Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus.

Moving at the speed of technology: Purdue to host the 2025 Pest Management Conference

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s Center for Urban and Industrial Pest...

A silhouette of a man’s face in front of a computer screen displaying a UV map with green, yellow and red lines.

Purdue’s Institute for Digital and Advanced Agricultural Systems to cultivate innovation at upcoming panel and networking event

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s Institute for Digital and Advanced...

Close up photo of soybean plant leaf, stem, and flower bunch

Advancements in genomic research reveal alternative transcription initiation sites in thousands of soybean genes

In 2010, Jianxin Ma, a professor of agronomy, and his collaborators built the first reference...

2024 BPP Research Showcase

Held on November 13 at the Beck Agricultural Center, the 2024 Research Showcase highlights...

2018 master's alumnus Daniel Bird sits at a computer; the cover art Bird created for the special Indigenous Wildlife Management in North America issue of The Journal of Wildlife Management

Master's Alum Daniel Bird Contributes to Indigenous Wildlife Management Journal Issue

Daniel Bird, who was raised on the Santo Domingo-Kewa Pueblo Reservation in New Mexico and is an...