LICENSES NEEDED TO APPLY PESTICIDES

Consumers, including agricultural producers, are reminded to ensure the businesses they hire to apply pesticides are licensed.

Regulated under The Pest Control Products (Saskatchewan) Act, 1995, all companies selling and applying pesticides for consumers must be licensed. This includes applications such as agricultural, rights of way (e.g. power and pipe lines), landscaping, as well as mosquito control, and structural pest control.

"Certification of people who sell or work with pesticides ensures that they have the training and knowledge to provide an effective, safe service," Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Minister Clay Serby said. "Without certification, consumers and applicators are taking uninsured risks and are liable if something goes wrong."

Training for pesticide vendors and applicators is available through SIAST and Regional Colleges. Licenses are then issued through SAFRR for a nominal fee. The Act does not apply to individuals and farmers or farm labourers who apply their own pesticides on their own property.

"SIAST has a flexible training system for pesticide applicators, both classroom and home study-based," SIAST Business and Agriculture Division Dean Wolfgang Langenbacher said. "Both options are available at a reasonable cost."

"We place a high value on education about safety and the environment, to avoid the risks associated with pesticide use," Serby said.

The best way to find out if a business is licensed to apply pesticides is to ask to see the license, or call SAFRR at 787-4662 or 787-2195.

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For More Information, Contact:

Cameron Wilk Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Regina Phone: (306)787-2195

Grant Zalinko SIAST Regina Phone: (306)798-4003