Pesticide Laws and Regulations
Louisiana's pesticide program is administered by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) under the Louisiana Pesticide Law (La. R.S. 3:3201 et seq.) and the rules in LAC Title 7, Part XXVII. This domain tests who may legally apply which products, what records and supervision are required, and how LDAF enforces compliance.
Who holds which credential
- Private applicator - a certified individual who applies or supervises restricted-use pesticides (RUPs) on land he or she owns or rents, or on an employer's land, for agricultural production.
- Commercial applicator - applies pesticides for hire or on property of another: rights-of-way, lawns, structures, aquatic sites, warehouses.
- Noncommercial applicator - public employees applying pesticides as part of their official duties.
- Structural and termite work also involves the Louisiana Structural Pest Control Commission.
- Certification belongs to the person and the category (1A agricultural plant, 3A ornamental and turf, 5A aquatic, 6 right-of-way, 7A general pest, and so on) - never to a farm, truck, or employer.
Duties that produce exam questions
- Follow the label; the label is enforceable law. Where state and federal rules differ, the more restrictive one governs.
- Keep records of RUP applications for two years and make them available to LDAF on request.
- Uncertified workers may handle RUPs only under direct supervision and may not apply them independently.
- LDAF may inspect records and equipment, issue stop-sale or stop-use orders, impose penalties, and suspend or revoke a credential.
Worked example
A sugarcane grower's hired hand sprays the grower's RUP on the grower's fields using the grower's sprayer. He is neither owner nor renter. Reasoning: an employee may apply under a private credential on the employer's agricultural land - but he must personally hold private certification in the correct category, and the grower must supervise. If the same hand sprays a neighbor's field for a fee, the activity is commercial and requires a commercial license and business registration.
Traps
Words like "for hire" and "property of another" decide the category, not job title. Certification does not transfer between people or employers. General-use products still carry label obligations, and "organic" or "natural" does not mean unregulated.