(a) Certification of Applicators. The department may
certify pesticide applicator licensees and applicants for a license
in the following license use categories and subcategories. An individual
who is certified in a particular category is authorized to purchase,
apply, or supervise the use of restricted use pesticides, state limited
use pesticides or regulated herbicides described by that category
subject to agency orders, Chapter 76 of the Texas Agriculture Code
and federal law.
  (1) agricultural pest control: pesticide applications
made to agricultural land as specified in the following subcategories:
    (A) field crop: to control insects, diseases, weeds,
or other pests of field crops, or the use of harvest aid pesticides
in the production of field crops such as cotton, grains, oilseed crops,
crops grown for seed, or crops harvested for animal feed (hay) or
forage. This category does not include pesticide applications covered
in category 1D (vertebrate control) or category 11 (soil fumigation);
    (B) fruit, nut and vegetable: to control insects, diseases,
weeds, or other pests, or the use of harvest aid pesticides, in the
production of non-citrus fruit (category 1G Citrus Pest Control),
nut and vegetable crops. This category does not include pesticide
applications covered in category 1D (vertebrate control) or category
11 (soil fumigation);
    (C) pasture and rangeland: to control insects, diseases,
weeds, or other pests of field crops, agricultural pastures, rangeland,
or adjacent riparian or natural areas, and may include applications
to pasture or rangeland vegetation that is harvested for animal feed
(hay). This category does not include pesticide applications covered
in category 1D (vertebrate pest) or category 11 (soil fumigation);
    (D) vertebrate pest: to control vertebrate pests affecting
agricultural production of field, fruit, nut or vegetable crops, in
turf, pastures, rangeland, riparian or natural areas, rights of ways,
parks, or crops/vegetation to be harvested for animal feed. This category
does not include the use of a sodium cyanide M-44 device (category
1I) or Compound 1080 Livestock Protection Collar (category 1H). Certification
in this category requires prequalification as determined by the department;

    (E) farm commodity pest control: to apply pesticides
(including commodity fumigants) to stored raw agricultural commodities
on the farm, in a public or private confined storage facility or container,
in an open storage platform or vehicle, or to agricultural equipment
used to transport raw agricultural commodities, to control pests of
a stored agricultural product or a pest subject to a state or federal
quarantine requirement;
    (F) animal health: to control external parasites or
pests of agricultural animals including applications of pesticides
to, in, or on any area, facility, or vehicle used for the housing,
maintenance, or transportation of an agricultural animal;
    (G) citrus: to control insects, diseases, weeds, or
other pests in the production of citrus plants or citrus fruit. This
category does not include the pesticide applications covered in category
1D (vertebrate control) or category 11 (soil fumigants);
    (H) livestock protection collar: for the use of a livestock
protection collar containing sodium fluoroacetate (Compound 1080)
for predator control in the protection of livestock. Specialized training
provided by the department is a prerequisite for this category;
    (I) M-44 device: for the use of a M-44 device for the
control of wild or feral canids in the protection of livestock. Specialized
training provided by the department is a prerequisite for this category;

  (2) forest pest control: to apply pesticides in forests,
forest nurseries and forest seed production;
  (3) lawn and ornamental plant pest control; and
    (A) landscape maintenance: to control pests in the
establishment or maintenance of lawns or ornamental plants grown for
function or aesthetic purposes in landscapes, such as athletic fields,
residential properties, industrial sites, golf courses, parks, and
cemeteries. This category does not include the pesticide applications
covered in category 1D (vertebrate control) or category 11 (soil fumigation);
and
    (B) nursery plant production: to control pests in the
production of ornamental plants or other nursery stock and commercial
turf. This category includes plants in field production, greenhouses,
shade houses, or similar structures. This category does not include
pesticide applications covered in category 1D (vertebrate control)
or category 11 (soil fumigants);
  (4) seed treatment: to control pests by treating seed
prior to distribution or planting. This category is not required for
planter box applications if the applicator is certified in the appropriate
agricultural category or is a private applicator;
  (5) vegetation management: to control unwanted plant
growth in rights-of-way, in the maintenance of roads, parking lots,
utility lines, wind generator sites, pipelines, railways, airports,
public surface drainways and ditches, industrial sites including oil
field sites, adjacent riparian or natural areas and includes public
sewer root control;
  (6) aquatic: to control aquatic weeds or other aquatic
pests including aquatic animals, microbes or other pests and may include
pesticide applications to adjacent riparian or natural areas when
water is present. Does not include public health pest control (vector
control) category 12;
  (7) demonstration and research: for demonstration or
research purposes when using restricted use pesticides, numbered compounds,
any pesticide not registered by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(unless exempt from registration under FIFRA Section 25(b)), or any
pesticide used in a manner inconsistent with the label directions.
No additional categories required;
  (8) regulatory pest control: for applications of pesticides
when implementing a regulatory program such as a plant pest quarantine,
invasive weed control, or other regulated activity conducted by a
state, federal or other political subdivision. This category does
not include pest control category 12 (public health pest control (vector
control));
  (9) aerial application: The use of a pesticide applied
by aircraft to any crop or site. In addition to certification in this
category, certification in one or more of the appropriate use categories
is required;
  (10) category unassigned;
  (11) soil fumigation: to apply fumigant pesticides
to soil environments. This category is available for all pesticide
license types and meets the pesticide product label requirement for
EPA approved soil fumigant training. Private applicators may apply
soil fumigant pesticides without adding this category, however additional
EPA approved training stipulated on the use directions of a soil fumigant
pesticide label must be met;
  (12) public health pest control (vector control): for
pesticide applications made for the purpose of treating, repelling,
mitigating, or otherwise controlling any non-human organism that is,
or may be, a vector of human disease by a pesticide applicator who
is an employee of, or an independent contractor for, a federal, state,
county, city, mosquito or vector control district or other political
subdivision, or a person working under the direct supervision of a
pesticide applicator who is an employee of, or an independent contractor
for, a federal, state, county, city, mosquito or vector control district
or other political subdivision.