Complete Story
 

10/30/2025

Immediate Action Needed!

Regulatory Alert!

YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED!

Support VPMA’s Petition for Rulemaking to Create a Separate Certification Category for Backyard Mosquito Control

Deadline: November 10, 2025

The Action Needed

The Virginia Pest Management Association (VPMA) urgently needs every member to submit public comments in support of VPMA’s Petition for Rulemaking to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) by Monday, November 10, 2025.

The Petition asks VDACS to amend 2 VAC 5-685 to create a new certification category that separates:

  • Area-wide public health pest control (such as government or municipal mosquito control programs), from
  • Non-area-wide or backyard pest control (such as residential mosquito services provided by professional pest management companies).

This important change will ensure that licensing and training requirements are appropriate to the actual work being performed.

Background

Many VPMA members have expressed concerns about the difficulty of obtaining the Category 8 – Public Health Pest Control certification. The current exam includes numerous questions about area-wide pest control operations, including large-scale application equipment and public agency procedures that most structural pest control applicators do not use or intend to use.

As a result, approximately one-third of test-takers fail the Category 8 exam—primarily due to irrelevant content—creating an unnecessary barrier to professional advancement for technicians engaged only in backyard or residential mosquito control.

Several other states have already adopted a two-tiered public health license, distinguishing between area-wide and non-area-wide pest control. VPMA’s petition seeks to bring Virginia’s regulations in line with these best practices, improving both safety and accessibility in pesticide licensing.

This petition is the first step in the formal rulemaking process. Member participation is vital to demonstrate broad industry support and to encourage VDACS to move forward with the rulemaking.

How to Submit Your Comment

Comments must be submitted online via the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall Public Comment Forum. Please follow these steps carefully:

  1. Go to: https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/Forums.cfm
  2. Scroll to the section titled Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).
  3. Locate the subsection referencing Chapter 2 VAC 5-685. The description should read:
    “Petition to Amend 2 VAC 5-685 to Create a New Certification Category.”
  4. In the left-hand column, click “View and Enter Comments.”
  5. On the next page, click “Enter a Comment” beneath the petition reference box.
  6. Type or paste your comment in the comment field.
  7. Scroll to the bottom, enter the anti-spam code, and click “Submit.”
    Your comment will appear in the official public record.

What to Say

Your comment should be brief, personal, and supportive. Consider the following outline:

“My name is [Name], and I am with [Company Name], a licensed pest control company in Virginia. We employ [number] certified pesticide applicators across the Commonwealth.

We fully support the VPMA Petition for Rulemaking to create a new certification category that separates area-wide public health pest control from non-area-wide (backyard) mosquito control.

[You may want to add some specific examples of your experience with Category 8 testing. You are encouraged to include personal examples — such as challenges with exam content, employee advancement, or business growth opportunities — to make your comment more impactful.]

This change will make certification requirements more relevant and achievable for commercial applicators, while maintaining high standards for safety and professionalism. Many technicians struggle to pass the current Category 8 exam because it includes questions unrelated to the work they perform. This adjustment would allow them to advance their careers and strengthen our industry’s capacity to protect public health.

Thank you for considering this important issue. We urge the Board to approve the petition.”

Your Voice Matters

Every comment counts. Broad support from VPMA members and pest control companies around the Commonwealth will demonstrate to VDACS that this regulatory change is necessary, practical, and widely supported by the industry.

Please take a few minutes today to submit your comment before November 10, 2025.

Thank you for standing with VPMA to advance professionalism, safety, and opportunity in Virginia’s pest management industry.

Questions?

Please reach out to Ron Gaskill, Chair VPMA Legislative and Regulatory Committee at rgaskill@mosquitojoe.com or contact Andrea Coron at 540/374-9200 or office@vpmaonline.com.

 

Printer-Friendly Version