NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State
University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
March 12, 1998
A North Dakota law passed in 1997 requires all commercial pesticide applicators to annually demonstrate their financial responsibility. Failure to do so will result in revocation of the certificate of license by the Noth Dakota Department of Agriculture, according to Andrew Thostenson, pesticides program coordinator for the North Dakota State University Extension Service.
To comply with the new law, commercial applicators must file one of three financial responsibility documents, or a waiver form, with the North Dakota State University pesticide program before April 1. The three documents allowed: a notarized letter from an officer of a financial institution—or from a certified public accountant—attesting that the applicator has net assets of at least $100,000; a performance bond of at least $100,000; a general liability insurance policy of at least $100,000.
The statute does not require anything of private applicators, and waivers are allowed.
The waivers, says Thostenson, are generally for people who will not apply pesticides but who do hold a commercial applicators certificate—for instance, pesticide dealers, consultants, students or others who are not yet employed, farmers and ranchers who are required to hold a commercial applicator certificate to apply pesticides to leased federal lands, and government employees.
Waivers are also available to employees of a commercial applicator business, if the business has demonstrated proof of financial responsibility.
Waiver forms and a description of the law may be requested from the NDSU Pesticide Program at P.O. Box 5051, Fargo, ND 58105-5051; telephone: (701) 231-7180.
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Source: Andrew Thostenson (701) 231-7180
Editor: Barry Brissman (701) 231-7866