1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to agriculture; updating pesticide applicator education and certification; 
1.3 	requiring reports; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 18B.305.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 18B.305, is amended to read:
1.6 	18B.305 PESTICIDE EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Education and training. (a) The commissioner, as the lead agency,
1.8 	 shall develop, implement or approve, and evaluate, in conjunction consultation with the 
1.9 	University of Minnesota Extension Service, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities 
1.10 	system, and other educational institutions, innovative educational and training programs 
1.11 	addressing pesticide concerns including:
1.12 	(1) water quality protection;
1.13 	(2) endangered species protection;
1.14 	(3) minimizing pesticide residues in food and water;
1.15 	(4) worker protection and applicator safety;
1.16 	(5) chronic toxicity;
1.17 	(6) integrated pest management and pest resistance; and
1.18 	(7) pesticide disposal;
1.19 	(8) pesticide drift;
1.20 	(9) relevant laws including pesticide labels and labeling and state and federal rules 
1.21 	and regulations; and
1.22 	(10) current science and technology updates.
1.23 	(b) The commissioner shall appoint educational planning committees which must 
1.24 	include representatives of industry and applicators.
2.1 	(c) Specific current regulatory concerns must be discussed and, if appropriate, 
2.2 	incorporated into each training session. Relevant changes to pesticide product labels or 
2.3 	labeling or state and federal rules and regulations may be included.
2.4 	(d) The commissioner may approve programs from private industry, higher 
2.5 	education institutions, and nonprofit organizations that meet minimum requirements for 
2.6 	education, training, and certification.
2.7 		Subd. 2.Training manual and examination development. The commissioner, in 
2.8 	conjunction consultation with the University of Minnesota Extension Service and other 
2.9 	higher education institutions, shall continually revise and update pesticide applicator 
2.10 	training manuals and examinations. The manuals and examinations must be written to meet 
2.11 	or exceed the minimum standards required by the United States Environmental Protection 
2.12 	Agency and pertinent state specific information. Questions in the examinations must be 
2.13 	determined by the commissioner in consultation with other responsible agencies. Manuals 
2.14 	and examinations must include pesticide management practices that discuss prevention of 
2.15 	pesticide occurrence in groundwaters groundwater and surface water of the state.

2.16 	Sec. 2. UPDATE REQUIRED; REPORT.
 2.17 	No later than December 31, 2017, the commissioner of agriculture must use 
2.18 	existing pesticide regulatory account resources to update and modify applicator education 
2.19 	and training materials as required in section 1. No later than January 15, 2015, the 
2.20 	commissioner must report to the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over 
2.21 	agriculture policy and finance regarding the agency's progress and a schedule of additional 
2.22 	activities the commissioner will accomplish to meet the December 31, 2017, deadline.