Professional pest advisors
What professional pest advisors need to know about the new rules for neonicotinoids (class 12 pesticides).
We’re proposing changes to that would reduce complexity and unnecessary burden associated with pesticide management in Ontario, while ensuring continued protection of human health and the environment. Learn more on the Environmental Registry.
New rules for the sale and use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds in Ontario will come into effect on July 1, 2015, and will be phased in over a period of time. The requirements will support our target to reduce the number of acres planted with neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seed by 80% by 2017.
To help reach this target, new requirements are being introduced to ensure that neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seeds are used only when there is a demonstrated pest problem.
Learn more about the impacts of neonicotinoids on pollinators.
Class 12 pesticides
The provincial government is responsible for classifying pesticides and regulating their sale, use, transportation, storage and disposal.
Treated seeds are seeds that have been coated with a pesticide. The new regulatory requirements will create a new class of pesticides—Class 12—for corn and soybean seeds treated with the following neonicotinoid insecticides:
- imidacloprid
- thiamethoxam
- clothianidin
This new class of pesticides applies to corn seed grown for grain or silage and soybean seed.
The regulation does not apply to popping corn, sweet corn or corn used for the production of seed. Nor does it apply to soybean seed planted for the purpose of producing a soybean seed crop of certified status under contract. Corn seed and soybean seed treated only with fungicide are not classified as Class 12 pesticides under the regulation.
Professional pest advisors play an integral role in ensuring that neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seeds are used according to the regulation made under the Pesticides Act.
Professional pest advisors
Professional pest advisors perform pest assessments and prepare reports that determine if there are pest problems on a farm. To act as a professional pest advisor under the regulation defining pesticides classes, O. Reg. 63/09, the advisor must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- certified as a Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) by the American Society of Agronomy and be a member in good standing of the Ontario Certified Crop Advisor Association
- registered as a member (e.g. a professional agrologist) under the Ontario Institute of Professional Agrologists Act 2013, with a field of practice relating to pest control or the production, processing and protection of agricultural, horticultural and related products and supplies; or
- hold an authorizing certificate issued by an out-of-province regulatory authority in respect of a field of practice similar to a professional agrologist or CCA
- have qualifications equivalent to a CCA or professional agrologist as determined by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change.
Beginning on August 31, 2017, subsection 8.2 (8) of O. Reg. 63/09 requires that a professional pest advisor be financially independent. This means he/she cannot receive a specific financial incentive (above and beyond their salary or commission) to promote the sale of Class 12 pesticide-treated corn or soybean seed over the sale of non-Class 12 seed.
Pest assessment report
A pest assessment report may indicate that there is a pest problem requiring the use of Class 12 pesticides, i.e., neonicotinoid-treated seed, to control the pests.
In order to purchase neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seed, a person (e.g. a farmer) must provide a pest assessment report to a vendor, sales representative or direct-to-farm vendor. Similar requirements apply to using the services of a custom seed-treater.
There are two kinds of pest assessments: soil pest scouting and crop damage assessment.
Soil pest scouting is a method that determines whether there is the presence of an average of two or more grubs or one wireworm in the soil at a farm property (see the Pest Management Assessment Guideline for more information on pest thresholds.) An Inspection of Soil - Pest Assessment Report must verify that pest thresholds have been met or exceeded in order to purchase Class 12 pesticide-treated seeds.
You can complete and submit the Inspection of Soil – Pest Assessment Report form online or download and print a PDF version.
A farmer can choose when to do soil pest scouting. This is often done in the spring or fall.
From August 31, 2016 until August, 31, 2017, farmers are able to perform a pest assessment and prepare a report if they have a certificate number given upon completion of the integrated pest management (IPM) training course.
Starting on August 31, 2017, a requirement that a professional pest advisor conduct a soil pest assessment and prepare a report will begin to be phased in. This requirement is being phased in over time on a geographic basis to best target regions with the greatest pollinator mortality rates.
Crop damage assessment is a method that determines whether:
- at least a 15 per cent stand loss in corn caused by pests
- at least a 30 per cent stand loss in soybean caused by pests.
If a farmer believes they have experienced crop damage from pests, they can choose to have a crop damage assessment conducted. A professional pest advisor will be required to conduct this assessment as this method requires specialized knowledge of pests and crop damage.
Pest assessments must be done according to the Pest Management Assessment Guideline. The guideline outlines how assessments are to be conducted, sets out the minimum thresholds, and explains how to calculate the application area where the neonicotinoid-treated seeds are to be planted at the farm property.
Beginning on August 31, 2017, subsection 8.2 (8) of O. Reg. 63/09 requires that a professional pest advisor be financially independent. This means he/she cannot receive a specific financial incentive (above and beyond their salary or commission) to promote the sale of Class 12 pesticide-treated corn or soybean seed over the sale of non-Class 12 seed.
Crop Damage Assessments
For the crop damage assessment, farmers must acquire the services of a professional pest advisor. This requirement applies every year. Crop damage assessments can be conducted by a professional pest advisor starting March 1, 2016.
An Inspection of Crop – Pest Assessment Report must be completed and signed by a professional pest advisor.
Soil Pest Scouting Assessments
Until August 31, 2016, any farmer can perform a soil pest scouting assessment with no special certification or training.
On or after August 31, 2016, in preparation for the 2017 planting season, only a person with a certificate number from completion of the new integrated pest management (IPM) training can conduct a soil pest scouting assessment and prepare a pest assessment report.
On or after August 31, 2017, in preparation for the 2018 planting season, the requirement for professional pest advisors to conduct a soil pest scouting assessment and prepare a pest assessment report will come into effect. This requirement is being phased in over time on a geographic basis according to a schedule in order to target regions with the greatest pollinator mortality rates.
Once the professional pest advisor requirement for soil scouting pest assessment is phased-in, a farmer must hire a professional pest advisor to perform or supervise the assessment and prepare a report at least once every three years. A farmer with a certificate number from completion of the new integrated pest management (IPM) training can perform an assessment and prepare a report in the intervening years.
Completed and signed pest assessment forms must be submitted to The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs using the address specified on the form.
Integrated pest management training
Although professional pest advisors are not required to take the new integrated pest management (IPM) training, they are welcome to do so.
Integrated pest management (IPM) is an approach to managing pests that is environmentally and economically sustainable. IPM promotes the use of different methods to prevent and reduce the risk of pests and encourage beneficial insects, including pollinators. Under IPM, pesticides are used as a last resort to control pest problems.
The IPM training is unique in that it includes training on the importance of pollinators in the ecosystem and how to protect them from pesticide exposure. It also includes training on identifying pests and pest scouting methods and alternatives to using pesticides.
IPM training is available in a classroom at various locations or online through the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus.
The cost for training is $66.36 upon registration. The fee will increase by 10 per cent annually until September 2020.
Supervisor role
A professional pest advisor can supervise others when conducting a soil pest scouting assessment if the following conditions are met:
- they are present at the farm property during the assessment and can quickly attend at a pest scouting location in the field
- they are supervising no more than seven people at one time
- the person who does the pest assessment is trained on how to conduct a soil pest scouting assessment
- the assessments is performed according to the pest assessment guideline
- the professional pest advisor must sign the pest assessment report.
Contact us
Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
E-mail: picemail.moe@ontario.ca
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca