MDA Announces Dates for New Professional Fertilizer Applicator Certification Exam

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has announced the dates for its new Professional Fertilizer Applicator Certification Exam. Beginning October 1, lawn care professionals hired to apply fertilizers to turfgrass must be certified by MDA’s Nutrient Management Program or work under the direct supervision of an individual who is certified. The requirement is a major component of Maryland’s new Lawn Fertilizer Law. The first series of exams and training sessions will be held at the following locations in Anne Arundel, Montgomery and Talbot counties:

MDA Headquarters, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401

• July 31: from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.; from noon-2 p.m.; from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Aug. 9*: From 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.; from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 16:* From 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.; from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Montgomery County Extension Office, 18410 Muncaster Road, Derwood, MD 20855

• Aug. 22:* From noon to 2:00 p.m.; from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Sept. 11:* From noon to 2:00 p.m.; from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Talbot County Free Library, 100 West Dover Street , Easton, MD 21601

• Sept. 18*: From 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.; from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

*Review session available on-site from 9:00–11:30 am

** Review session available on- site from 9:30 am–Noon.

The pro-rated certification fee is $75. To register, contact MDA at 410-841-5959 or visit www.mda.maryland.gov/fertilizer and follow the link to “training classes.” Additional exams and training sessions are currently being planned and will be posted on MDA’s web site as they become available.

To assist lawn care professionals in preparing for the exam, MDA and the University of Maryland (UMD) have developed a training manual and study guide which are available on the MDA website. The training manual includes information on soils and fertility, soil testing, interpreting fertilizer labels, use and calibration of fertilizer application equipment, UMD fertilizer recommendations and other knowledge areas that will be covered by the Maryland Professional Fertilizer Applicator Certification Exam.

Signed into law by Governor Martin O’Malley in 2011, Maryland’s Lawn Fertilizer Law includes new requirements for fertilizer manufacturers, homeowners and lawn care professionals. The law is designed to protect the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries from excess nutrients entering its waters from a variety of urban sources, including golf courses, parks, recreation areas, athletic fields, businesses and hundreds of thousands of suburban and urban lawns. Regulations to implement the law were published in the Maryland Register earlier this year.

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