Not much has changed as we begin the new year, if you are needing those CEU credits for your license you will find most of it has moved online via Zoom or other Cloud based software.

For those of you who are licensed with TDA either as a commercial or noncommercial applicator you still must obtain your CEU credits. Over the holiday break the Department of Agriculture sent out this notice to all CEU providers.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current rise in cases across the state, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is extending its allowance for Department approved CEU courses and Technician Training Courses, normally held in-person, to be given as a web-based interactive and live courses, where the audience can ask questions of the instructor and exchange information. To address the CEU and licensure requirements for Structural Pest Control Certified Applicators (CA’s) and Technicians, the TDA will work with the CA’s, prospective Technicians, CEU Course providers, and Technician Training Course providers of Texas to make CEUs and training available during this critical time. Licensed CA’s needing CEU’s and Apprentices needing to become Technicians will be allowed to take CEU Courses and Technician Training Courses as online, web-based interactive and live courses to meet their CA CEU requirements or eligibility requirements through December 31, 2021.

TDA will continue to enforce requirements for CA’s to obtain their CEU’s for their respective license and categories each calendar year. CA’s must complete their calendar year 2020 CEU’s by 12/31/2020 and their 2021 CEU’s by 12/31/2021. Per 4 TAC § 7.134, self-study online CEUs may be used every other year to meet CEU requirements. Web-based interactive and live online courses as authorized by this notice are not considered self-study online courses.

Commercial and Noncommercial Structural Pest Control

If you have a structural pest control license, you must receive your continuing education credits each year, which is Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. Those credits are so you can renew your license the next year. For example, my license expires in May, but I need to obtain 2 General, 1 Pest, 1 Lawn & Ornamental, and 1 Weed as those are the categories, I’m licensed in between Jan 1 and Dec 31 each year. Everyone who is licensed in structural MUST obtain 2 general category CEUs, plus 1 CEU in every category you are licensed in.

The above provision also applies to those Agricultural Pesticide Applicators who are Private, Commercial, Noncommercial, Noncommercial Political Subdivision license holders as it pertains to obtaining your CEU credit to renew your license.

Commercial, Noncommercial, Noncommercial Political:

These licenses must be renewed annually. TDA interprets annually based on licensing period, so if you are licensed from May 2020 to May 2021, your CEUs must be obtained between that 12-month licensing period for you to be able to renew. The license holder must complete 5 CEUs each year to be eligible to renew, with one credit each from two of the following categories: laws and regulations, integrated pest management or drift minimization.

Each applicator will be required to maintain proof of the number of CEUs necessary to renew a license or certificate. Certificates of completion verifying attendance at approved activities during the previous licensing period must be maintained by the applicator for a period of 12 months after the most recent renewal of their license or certificate. The department may audit the CEUs an applicator has obtained during an onsite inspection or by letter requesting that copies of certificates of completion be mailed to the department. Certificates of completion will be compared with course attendance rosters on file with the department. Credits obtained at a single course cannot be split or divided between licensing periods.

Private, Certified Private:

Private applicator licenses and certificates are valid for five years, and the applicator must obtain 15 CEUs during that time to renew, including two (2) credits in laws and regulations and two (2) credits in integrated pest management (IPM).

Testing:

The Texas Pesticide Law requires that persons must be licensed or certified by TDA to lawfully use a restricted-use pesticide, state-limited-use pesticide, or regulated herbicides. For more information on Agricultural Applicator licensing and testing check out this website link

The Structural Pest Control Act (Chapter 1951 of the Occupations Code) requires licensing of businesses and individuals that perform structural pest control for hire. Additionally, employees of units of state government who apply pesticides as part of their job duties, and persons performing pest control at an apartment building, day-care center, hospital, nursing home, hotel, motel, or lodge, warehouse, food-processing establishment (other than a restaurant, retail food, or food service establishment), or school must be licensed. Structural pest control includes but is not limited to pests that may infest parks, buildings or structures and adjacent areas, industrial plants, streets, docks, railroad cars, trucks, ships, or airplanes. Structural pest control includes the following activities for compensation:

• identifying infestations,
• making inspection reports,
• providing recommendations,
• submitting estimates or bids,
• contracting,
• performing services to prevent, control or eliminate infestations, or
• advertising such services.

How To Schedule SPCS Licensing Exams can be found at this website link

Looking for CEUs Here is what I have found for the next two months, I added the Purdue Annual CEU workshop because they are offering TX CEU credit and it’s not something you will get a chance to attend unless you travel north. At the same time, the annual spring CEU program we offer through the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center in Dallas, is going virtual as well, we are working on our registration now.  You can always check out TDAs CEU website search for classes that are being added weekly.

Name of conference	Website to register	Dates
Purdue Pest Management Conference	https://www.extension.entm.purdue.edu/urbanconference/assets/pdf/brochure_2021.pdf	January 11-14, 2021
2021 Professional Grounds Keepers Conference	https://bell.agrilife.org/2021-professional-grounds-keepers-conference/	January 21, 2021
Bexar County Virtual CEU Workshop	https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/productListingDetails/3305	January 29, 2021
North Texas Pest Management Virtual Conference	https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/productListingDetails/3303	January 29, 2021
Spring IPM Seminar	Save the Date – we are working on registration website	February 23, 2021

Finally, if you did not take any on demand courses last year (2020) you can take them this year visit our AgriLife Learn website https://agrilifelearn.tamu.edu/catalog?pagename=Pest-and-Weed-Control to see all the CEU courses we offer.