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Raising the Bar on Commercial Horticulture and Pesticide Safety
| Name | James Hodges | | Situation | In 2005, the South Carolina legislature passed a new law to regulate turf and ornamental care professionals who applied any pesticide for their clients. This new regulation raised the bar for the application of pesticides within the state. Previously, commercial licenses were only required for those who applied restricted use products. Anyone who applied any lawn care pesticide on the property of others for compensation was required to obtain a category 3 license in 2006. Much of Greenwood County's lawn care community consists of small single person
businesses without extensive training in pesticide application and safety. Commercial lawn care operators were required to pass a state core pesticide exam and a turf and ornamental exam to obtain a license. Pesticides are useful tools in our quest for great lawns and landscapes, but safe and wise use of these products is critical to maintaining a healthy environment and clean water for everyone. | | Response | This year, a pesticide training was held in February before a local exam scheduled at Piedmont Tech in March. Many new clients needing the commercial license to operate their business were interested in additional training. Twenty-three people from Greenwood and surrounding counties attended this training. | | Impact | The number of certified commercial applicators has grown from 52 in 2005 to 75 in 2007 with more expected from the recent exams given in March. Forty-three applicators are certified in category 3 (Turf and Ornamental) in Greenwood. The total number of certified applicators has increased in neighboring counties too. More importantly, there is a higher level of expertise within this working group which should improve the quality of lawn care and safety to county residents. |
Last update4/24/2008
This website is maintained by Bryan Smith.
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