Growers know that that when it comes to pesticide application, the label is the law. However, the label only includes federal laws regarding use of a specific pesticide, but provincial laws also govern pesticide application.

Under Regulation 63/09 of the Pesticides Act, Ontario farmers must be certified to buy and use Class 2 and 3 pesticides on their farms or woodlots. To become certified, a farmer must successfully complete the Grower Pesticide Safety Course. This course is recognized by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment classifies pesticides into one of 11 different classes. Class 2 or 3 pesticides are most hazardous. You must be certified before you can buy and use them. This is not to be confused with the “Group” listed on the top of the product label. Pesticides are grouped based on their mode of action for resistance management purposes and these are not related to their class. Classes are not listed on the product label.

A certified farmer can supervise an assistant to apply Class 2 or 3 pesticides. Assistants must be 16 years of age or older, have basic training recognized by the Ministry of the Environment before they handle or use Class 2 or 3 pesticides (they do not need to write the exam), and retrain every 5 years. These requirements apply to all assistants, including family members, farm employees and seasonal workers.

There are two ways for assistants to get the training they need. They can either participate in a Grower Pesticide Safety Course and not write the examination, or participate in an on-farm training session presented by a qualified Assistant Instructor. Growers can become Assistant Instructors if they complete an Assistant Instructor Course.

To register for the Grower Pesticide Safety Course or the Assistant Instructor Course call 1-800-652-8573, visit www.opep.ca, fax 1-519-674-1589 or email opep@opep.ca.

So how do you know which pesticides fall under Class 2 or 3 in Ontario? Growers can access the following website to determine the class of their pesticides: http://app.ene.gov.on.ca/pepsis/

For ginseng growers, Table 1 lists the registered pesticides and their Pesticide Class. Note that different formulations and trade names of the same product may be in different classes. Always check the class of every pesticide formulation before having un-trained workers apply any products. Some surfactants are also listed as Class 3 pesticides (e.g. Agral 90) and these also require proper certification before they can be applied, regardless of the pesticide being applied.

Table 1. List of pesticides registered for use on ginseng in Ontario indicating their Ontario Classification.