Director's Corner

Working for you

The manager of a multi-state landscape company told me, “At 8:30 in the morning, one of our employees went online, logged in, paid the fee, and completed the form to take the Registered Technician Examination.”

Her experience gets better: “By 5:00 PM that same day, VDACS* emailed him permission to take the exam. He went online the next day, took the exam, passed it and immediately received a temporary license allowing him to apply pesticides.”

Why should you support the VTC and the VTC Environmental Institute? Reread the above paragraphs. It is direct quote from the manager of a national lawn and landscape company.

Over the past decade we worked diligently to reduce the time required for persons to navigate the pesticide certification process. The procedure, from seeking permission to take the test, to taking the test, to getting results, used to take weeks or months.

It now takes days!

Shortening the wait time, especially lengthy delays at getting permission to take required exams (waiting eight weeks to receive a response from Richmond was average) saves companies thousands of dollars. No longer do they need to pay someone who is hired to apply pesticides but is unable to do so because he or she is in a bureaucratic holding pattern.

Our work with VDACS was not limited to shortening the time required to become certified to apply pesticides. Here are three other major endeavors. One, pesticide examinations are now offered online. Persons can take them in the privacy of their office or home (the DMV and paper options are still available). Two, Registered Technician exams are now offered in Spanish. Let that sink in. Persons whose primary language is Spanish are a significant part of our industry. Offering the test in that language serves them and serves our industry. Three, the VTC is now authorized by VDACS to provide online recertification for Certified Fertilizer Applicators.

Your membership and support allow us to work with regulatory agencies such as VDACS. Our efforts are focused on enabling you, members of the green industry, to conduct business without onerous rules and regulations that are difficult to comprehend and follow.

Tom Tracy, Ph.D.

VTC Executive Director

Tom Tracy, Ph.D. • VTC Executive Director