FIFRA, OAR, ORS, and WPS: The ABC's of Pesticide Law in Oregon

One of the primary responsibilities of a pesticide applicator is to know, understand, and comply with federal and state regulations regarding pesticide use. Legal requirements today are designed to allow industry professionals to maximize the benefits of sensible pesticide use while minimizing the harm that pesticides can cause to humans, wildlife, and the environment.

Sometimes, state regulations are more restrictive than federal standards, and therefore an examination of state law is necessary to have a complete understanding of the legal obligations of pesticide applicators in Oregon. In this course, you will examine the federal laws and regulations that protect yourself, the public, and environment from the adverse effects of pesticides. You will also examine the state laws in Oregon.

If you are currently a licensed pesticide applicator or consultant, you will earn one (1) continuing education credit by completing this course.

This course can also help you prepare for your certification exams if you seek to become a licensed apprentice, a commercial applicator, a private applicator, a public applicator, or a pesticide consultant. Learning materials in this course include information covered in the National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Manual.

What you'll learn

By the end of this course you will be able to:

Explain how and why pesticides are regulated in the United States.
Discuss the importance of knowing and following federal laws and regulations related to pesticide use.
State why certain pesticides are classified as restricted use.
Distinguish between restricted-use and general-use pesticide classifications.
Explain the importance of maintaining accurate records of pesticide applications and employee training.
Describe the Oregon-specific pesticide laws listed in the Oregon Core Addendum.
Identify the frequently violated prohibited acts in Oregon. Describe Oregon-specific pesticide use regulations, including Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR).

Frequently asked questions

How long will it take for my ODA credit to show up on my credit report? It may take 4-8 weeks. OSU submits the list of course-takers to ODA once each month, and ODA has a high work-load in data entry from November through March. Please contact ODA with any questions by dialing (503) 986-4635.
I did not receive a grade release confirmation email. Who do I contact? Contact Oregon State University Professional and Continuing Education by emailing pace@oregonstate.edu.
Who should I contact with follow-up questions about the course? You may send an email message to Miranda Dudzik at miranda.dudzik@oregonstate.edu or Kaci Buhl at kaci.buhl@oregonstate.edu.

Pesticide Recertification Credit

This online Personal Protective Equipment course is approved for Oregon Department of Agriculture's pesticide applicator recertification credit.

IMPORTANT: Final grade reporting to the state will include grades released as of December 31. Our system takes 24 hours for grades to release, so to ensure your grade will be counted toward the calendar year, you will need to complete the final quiz no later than December 30.

On demand. Access any time.

Online

$35

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Additional Information:
1 CORE ODA pesticide recertification credit.

Instructors

Kaci Buhl

Kaci Buhl is an Associate Professor of Practice at Oregon State University (OSU). She coordinates the Statewide Pesticide Safety Education Program, working to educate professional pesticide applicators. On the national level, Ms. Buhl is the Deputy Director of the Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative, which creates pesticide manuals, exams, and other resources for professionals. She studied integrated pest management (IPM) at Michigan State University and previously coordinated the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC).

Miranda Dudzik

Miranda is the Pesticide Safety Educator at the Pesticide Safety Education Program at Oregon State University. Her background includes teaching biology, animal science and healthcare courses at the college level. Miranda brings to PSEP her expertise in online curriculum and course design that aims to provide quality online continuing education for pesticide applicators around the state.

Miranda Dudzik

Miranda is an OSU alumna with a background in Biology, Chemistry, and Toxicology. She brings to PSEP over a decade of experience in adult education, including online education and curriculum design. Miranda currently develops and coordinates online recertification courses, assists with webinar course planning, and is working on a new pre-licensing program to help applicators prepare for their certification exams. She is passionate about creating inclusive and accessible learning opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and native languages.

Past Students' Work

Take a look at some recent projects our students have created.