Combining Turf Combining Turf Management Training with Management Training with

the Limited Commercial the Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance Landscape Maintenance

Certificate Certificate

A Proposal for Consideration A Proposal for Consideration by the Fertilizer Task Forceby the Fertilizer Task Force

Municipal Ordinances Municipal Ordinances • Efforts to reduce N and P leaching in Efforts to reduce N and P leaching in

GW and SW have lead to local GW and SW have lead to local ordinances requiring:ordinances requiring:– Banning N & P applications during “rain Banning N & P applications during “rain

months”months”– Requiring only slow release fertilizersRequiring only slow release fertilizers– Specifying fertilization ratesSpecifying fertilization rates– Requiring landscape professionals Requiring landscape professionals

receive turf management training receive turf management training (GIBMPs)(GIBMPs)

– Certify Landscape professionals to apply Certify Landscape professionals to apply fertilizersfertilizers

Green Industries Best Green Industries Best Management PracticesManagement Practices• Approximately 5 million Approximately 5 million

acres of home lawns in FLacres of home lawns in FL• Approximately 1 million Approximately 1 million

acres are managed by acres are managed by landscape professionals landscape professionals

• Management of this Management of this acreage is critical to acreage is critical to future of FL’s GW and SWfuture of FL’s GW and SW

• BMPs #1 goal - protect FL BMPs #1 goal - protect FL water resourceswater resources

• 5E-1.023 recently 5E-1.023 recently amended to include GI amended to include GI BMP as interim measureBMP as interim measure

Landscape Maintenance Landscape Maintenance ProfessionalsProfessionals

• Estimated 50% of LMP Estimated 50% of LMP apply pesticidesapply pesticides– GlyphosateGlyphosate– Weed & FeedWeed & Feed

• The majority of these The majority of these LMP are not certified LMP are not certified (currently 2246 LCLM (currently 2246 LCLM licenses)licenses)

• Bringing LMP applying Bringing LMP applying pesticides into pesticides into compliance is ongoing compliance is ongoing efforteffort

Combined Training ProgramCombined Training Program• There is a need for:There is a need for:

– Turf management training for LMP to Turf management training for LMP to apply fertilizersapply fertilizers

– Certify LMP for fertilizer applications Certify LMP for fertilizer applications (some counties)(some counties)

– Enhanced enforcement/regulation of Enhanced enforcement/regulation of LMP applying pesticidesLMP applying pesticides

• An opportunity exists to satisfy all An opportunity exists to satisfy all needs using DACS Limited needs using DACS Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance Commercial Landscape Maintenance CertificateCertificate

Limited Commercial Landscape Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance CertificateMaintenance Certificate• Chapter 482.156, Florida StatutesChapter 482.156, Florida Statutes

– Authorizes LMPs to apply pesticides to Authorizes LMPs to apply pesticides to control weeds in plant beds and exterior control weeds in plant beds and exterior ornamental plantsornamental plants

– Provides for the use of herbicides, Provides for the use of herbicides, insecticides and fungicides with signal insecticides and fungicides with signal word “Caution”word “Caution”

– Limits the type of equipment to Limits the type of equipment to handheld backpack sprayershandheld backpack sprayers

– Requires GL insuranceRequires GL insurance

Limited Commercial Landscape Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance CertificateMaintenance Certificate

• Requires individual to take an Requires individual to take an examination and renew annuallyexamination and renew annually

• Requires record keeping of pesticides Requires record keeping of pesticides used, areas treatedused, areas treated

• Requires 6 hours of training prior to Requires 6 hours of training prior to examinationexamination

• Requires 4 hours of annual CEUsRequires 4 hours of annual CEUs• LCLM certificate is an LCLM certificate is an individualindividual

license – stays with individual who license – stays with individual who obtained, not tied to a company obtained, not tied to a company

Combined Training ProgramCombined Training Program• Proposal – Proposal –

Combine requirements for Limited Commercial Combine requirements for Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance withLandscape Maintenance with

The training requirements being proposed The training requirements being proposed application of fertilizer to residential and application of fertilizer to residential and commercial turfcommercial turf

Into a single program that can be regulated by Into a single program that can be regulated by DACS under existing statutory authorityDACS under existing statutory authority

Combined Training ProgramCombined Training Program

• BenefitsBenefitsTraining program would satisfy Training program would satisfy

compliance with Chapter 482.156, F.S. compliance with Chapter 482.156, F.S. andand local ordinances that require local ordinances that require training in minimizing nitrogen leaching training in minimizing nitrogen leaching and phosphorus runoff from fertilizer and phosphorus runoff from fertilizer applications applications

Program could be provided by and Program could be provided by and through IFAS, associations, private through IFAS, associations, private education providerseducation providers

Combined Training ProgramCombined Training Program

• BenefitsBenefitsTraining program would Training program would

have to be approved by have to be approved by DACS under current DACS under current authority – providing authority – providing oversight on this training oversight on this training and a legally recognized and a legally recognized standard for training standard for training

DACS issues legally DACS issues legally recognized certificates recognized certificates and maintains records of and maintains records of certificate holders, certificate holders, inspections, and inspections, and compliance compliance

Combined Training ProgramCombined Training Program• Advantages to municipalities:Advantages to municipalities:

– Requires 6 hours of training prior to Requires 6 hours of training prior to examination and DACS approved examination and DACS approved continuing educationcontinuing education

– Validates training through examinationValidates training through examination– Requires record keeping of areas Requires record keeping of areas

treated, and allows inspection of records treated, and allows inspection of records – fertilizer application information can – fertilizer application information can also be obtainedalso be obtained

- DACS can establish enforcement DACS can establish enforcement cooperation with municipalities cooperation with municipalities

Combined Training ProgramCombined Training Program• Other Advantages :Other Advantages :

– Provides another way to improve Provides another way to improve compliance with LCLM compliance with LCLM requirements – increasing requirements – increasing protection of public and protection of public and environment from improper environment from improper pesticide applicationspesticide applications

– Enhances ability of DACS to Enhances ability of DACS to enforce requirements of Urban enforce requirements of Urban Turf Fertilizer rule - see what Turf Fertilizer rule - see what products are actually in useproducts are actually in use

– Uniform enforcement increases Uniform enforcement increases compliance across compliance across county/municipalities – single county/municipalities – single statewide policystatewide policy

Combined Training ProgramCombined Training Program

• Other Advantages :Other Advantages :– The training program can be extended to The training program can be extended to

include include pest control identification pest control identification cardholderscardholders as a continuing education as a continuing education unit (CEU) that will comply with unit (CEU) that will comply with municipal ordinancesmunicipal ordinances

– DACS will include turf management DACS will include turf management training objectives as part of training objectives as part of examinations for certification in the Lawn examinations for certification in the Lawn & Ornamental Pest Control Category& Ornamental Pest Control Category

Combined Training ProgramCombined Training Program• What needs to be done to make it What needs to be done to make it

happen?happen?– Modify existing LCLM training programs to Modify existing LCLM training programs to

include fertilizer BMPsinclude fertilizer BMPs– Add fertilizer BMPs and updates to required Add fertilizer BMPs and updates to required

continuing education requirementscontinuing education requirements– Provide information on new requirements Provide information on new requirements

to:to:•Municipalities adopting ordinances Municipalities adopting ordinances •Pest Control IndustryPest Control Industry•Landscape Maintenance Association Landscape Maintenance Association •Fertilizer Task ForceFertilizer Task Force

– Recommend as part of Model OrdinanceRecommend as part of Model Ordinance

Florida Department of Florida Department of Agriculture Agriculture and Consumer Servicesand Consumer Services

Charles H. BronsonCOMMISSIONER

Questions?Questions?