Effective August 15th, 2015, the Missouri Pesticide Applicator surety bond threshold has been raised from $25,000 to $50,000. The “financial responsibility” requirement was increased by Senate Bill 12. Among other changes the new statute also eliminates the provision of the surety that provided indemnity for “property damage and personal injury”. The State Department of Agriculture defines licensees as being one of three classes.
Certified Commercial Applicators are defined by the Missouri Pesticide Use Act as: Any individual, whether or not he is a private applicator with respect to some uses, who is certified by the director as authorized to use, supervise the use of, or determine the need for the use of, any pesticide, whether classified for restricted use or for general use, while engaged in the business of using pesticides on the lands of another as a direct service to the public in exchange for a fee or compensation.
Certified Noncommercial Applicators are defined by the Missouri Pesticide Use Act as: Any individual, whether or not he is a private applicator with respect to some uses, who is certified by the director as authorized to use, or to supervise the use of, any pesticide which is classified for restricted use only on lands owned or rented by the applicator or their employer.
Certified Public Operators are defined by the Missouri Pesticide Use Act as: Any individual who is certified by the director as authorized to use, or to supervise the use of, any pesticide which is classified for restricted use in the performance of their duties as an official or employee of any agency of the state of Missouri or any political subdivision thereof, or any other governmental agency.
To become certified as one of the above applicators or operators, the applicant is required to pass the state pesticide certification examinations. The applicant is required to pass the General Standards of Competence (CORE) examination and at least one of the category examinations listed below. The applicant should choose the category exam(s) based on their area of expertise.
Only the Certified Commercial class of licensee is required to provide the pesticide applicator surety bond. The obligation is a “term bond” which guarantees the “duties of the applicator”, which are referenced in the state statute. The form allows for cancellation by surety with twenty days notice and now with the removal of the onerous language insuring against property damage and personal injury, appears to be a simple compliance bond. Unless the license applicant is granted a license under an interstate reciprocal agreement or is granted a waiver by the Plant Industries Division, an applicant must pass a certification examination. The bond and accompanying documents should submitted to:
Missouri Pesticide Program
Missouri Pesticide Applicator Surety Bond
P.O. Box 630
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Missouri surety leader, Surety One, Inc. is a preferred national provider of pesticide applicator surety bonds in all states and localities where they are required. We offer these to applicants regardless of credit condition. Visit SuretyOne.com, call (800) 373-2804, or email Underwriting@SuretyOne.com for a Missouri Pesticide Applicator surety bond application or for further information on surety bonds.
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