Those who treat Indiana golf courses with pesticides must now be certified and licensed and document the applications under a new state rule announced by the Purdue University-based Office of the Indiana State Chemist and Seed Commissioner ( OISC ).
The Indiana Pesticide Review Board adopted the new rule. The board is made up of representatives of the pesticide industry, government, academia, a conservation organization and the general public, said Joe Becovitz, OISC pesticide program specialist.
The rule went into effect Aug. 1, but OISC enforcement gradually will be phased in, Becovitz said.
"We're offering compliance assistance and training for the first year," he said. "We'll bring golf course superintendents and employees up to speed on the new rule and answer any questions they have."
Known as the Applicator Certification and Licensing at Golf Courses Rule, the new regulation covers any use of herbicides for weeds, insecticides for bugs or fungicides for turf diseases, Becovitz said.
"The rule has three parts," he said. "First, golf courses need to have a licensed certified applicator making the pesticide applications.
"Second, if the applicator is not certified they need to be under the direct supervision of a certified applicator. And third, golf courses are required to keep records of all pesticide applications for a period of two years. That's a change from the previous rule, which said they only had to keep records of restricted use pesticide applications."
Rule violations can range from warning letters to fines.
Driving ranges that use pesticides also are required to follow the rule. The rule does not apply to other pesticide applications such as those to buildings, trees and shrubs at golf facilities.
Indiana is home to between 500 and 600 golf courses, Becovitz said.
Additional information about the rule is available by calling 1-800-893-6637. The OISC Web site also contains a page with frequently asked questions about the rule, a sample chemical application record sheet and a site assessment fact sheet for supervision of non-certified applicators. That page is located at http://www.isco.purdue.edu/pesticide/pest_pdf/golf_2009.pdf
