Title of Regulation: 2VAC20-40. Regulations Governing Licensing of Pesticide Businesses Operating Under Authority of the Virginia Pesticide Control Act (amending 2VAC20-40-10, 2VAC20-40-90).

Statutory Authority: § 3.2-3906 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: March 18, 2009.

Agency Contact: Liza Fleeson, Program Manager, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 371-6559, FAX (804) 786-9149, TTY (800) 828-1120, or email liza.fleeson@vdacs.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments update citations to reflect the recodification of Title 3.1 to Title 3.2 of the Code of Virginia, which became effective October 1, 2008.

Part I
Definitions

2VAC20-40-10. Definition of terms.

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. An asterisk following a definition denotes that the definition has been taken from § 3.2-100 or Article 1 (§ 3.1-249.27 et seq.) of Chapter 14.1 (§ 3.2-3900 et seq.) of Chapter 39 of Title 3.1 3.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Act" means the Virginia Pesticide Control Act.

"Board" means the Pesticide Control Board.*

"Bulk pesticide" means any registered pesticide concentrate which is transported or held in an individual container in undivided quantities of greater than 55 U.S. gallons liquid measure or greater than 100 pounds net dry weight.

"Certification" or "certified" means the recognition granted by the Pesticide Control Board to an applicator upon satisfactory completion of board approved requirements.*

"Commercial applicator" means any person who has completed the requirements for certification as determined by the board to use or supervise the use of any pesticide for any purpose or on any property other than as provided in the definition of private applicator.*

"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services.*

"Department" means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.*

"EPA" means the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

"FIFRA" means The the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act as amended, and herein incorporated by reference.

"Licensed" or "licensee" means those businesses which, upon meeting the requirements established by the Pesticide Control Board, are issued a license to engage in the sale, storage, distribution, recommend the use, or application of pesticides in Virginia in exchange for compensation.*

"Limited quantities" means purchases, at cost, for resale, of less than $50,000 annually per outlet of products containing nonrestricted use pesticide active ingredients.

"Pest management consultant" means any person, who may or may not apply pesticides himself, who has obtained a business license in accordance with the requirements listed below, and who is authorized by this chapter to provide technical advice, supervision or aid, or recommendations for pesticide application commercially in Virginia.

"Pesticide" means (i) any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any insects, rodents, fungi, bacteria, weeds, or other forms of plant or animal life or viruses or bacteria, except viruses on or in living man or other animals, which the commissioner shall declare to be a pest, (ii) any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant, and (iii) any substance which is intended to become an active ingredient in any substance defined in clauses (i) and (ii) of this definition.*

"Pesticide business" means any person engaged in the business of distributing, applying, or recommending the use of a product; or storing, selling, or offering for sale pesticides for distribution directly to the user. The term "pesticide business" does not include (i) wood treaters not for hire; (ii) seed treaters not for hire; (iii) operations that produce agricultural products unless the owners or operators of such operations described in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of this definition are engaged in the business of selling or offering for sale pesticides, or distributing pesticides to persons outside of that agricultural producing operation in connection with commercial transactions; or (iv) businesses exempted by regulations adopted by the board.*

"Pesticide business location" means any fixed location of a pesticide business with either a telephone that is used to transact business or give advice, or where products, supplies or business mail is delivered. Residences of service technicians who are employed by a licensed pesticide business are exempt, if no business solicitation is conducted from that location.

"Private applicator" means an applicator who uses or supervises the use of any pesticide which is classified for restricted use for purposes of producing any agricultural commodity on property owned or rented by him or his employer or, if applied without compensation other than trading of personal services between producers of agricultural commodities, on the property of another person.*

"Restricted use pesticide" or "pesticide classified for restricted use" means any pesticide classified as restricted by the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.*

"Virginia Pesticide Control Act" or "Act" means Chapter 39 (§ 3.2-3900 et seq.) of Title 3.2 of the Code of Virginia.

Part V
Revocation, Suspension or Denial of Business Licenses

2VAC20-40-90. Revocation of a business license.

In addition to the violative acts listed under § 3.1-249.63 B 3.2-3940 A of the Act Code of Virginia, the following are grounds for revocation by the board of a business license:

1. Failure to (i) submit records to the commissioner upon written request; or (ii) to permit any person designated by the commissioner to have access to, and to copy such records of business transactions as may be essential to carrying out the purposes of the Act.

2. Operation of a pesticide business location or outlet without a certified commercial applicator assigned to the location or outlet as required by this chapter.

3. Interference with the commissioner or his duly authorized agents in carrying out the duties imposed by the Act.

4. Conduct by a licensee, as determined during the course of a hearing, which has or might have resulted at any time in substantial danger to, or in unreasonable adverse effects on, the public health, safety, or the environment.

5. Failure of a licensee to notify the department of any change in financial responsibility as specified in 2VAC20-40-80 C.

6. Multiple violations of the Act or regulations pursuant thereto within a three-year period.