Plant protection consultant - a person who consults on the use of plant protection products as a commercial service and has obtained a certificate of approving the right to provide such advice.
The State Plant Protection Service issues a plant protection consultant certificate if a person:
- has completed the programme listed below and successfully passed the examination (for the use of plant protection products of the first registration class, in addition to having completed the programme listed in Annex I, Chapter II of Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No 147 of 19 March 2013 "Regulations Regarding Training of Professional Users of Plant Protection Products, Operators of Application of Plant Protection Products, Distributors of Plant Protection Products and Plant Protection Advisors and Procedures for Issuing Certificates");
- has a university degree in agriculture and has passed an exam.
If the person has a degree in agriculture and wishes to obtain a licence without training, they must submit to the State Plant Protection Service:
- application specifying what certificate the person wishes to receive;
- a photo (3x4 cm);
- a copy of diploma.
If a person wishes to undergo training, he or she must apply to a training provider listed on the State Plant Protection Service's website. The trainee covers the costs of the training. The training provider determines the procedure for payment for the training and the amount of the payment.
If the person has received training from a training provider, they must submit the following to the State Plant Protection Service:
- application specifying what certificate the person wishes to receive;
- a photo (3x4 cm);
- a certificate of completion of the training programme, stating the name of the trainer, his/her name and personal identification number, details of the training programme completed, the date of issue of the certificate and the name and signature of the issuer.
If the person undergoes training, an examination is organised by the the State Plant Protection Service in cooperation with the trainer. The exam takes place at the trainer's premises on the last day of the training.
The examination is conducted in writing. The examination is assessed by a panel approved by the Director of State Plant Protection Service. State Plant Protection Service issues a certificate if the test is passed. A person is deemed to have passed the exam if they have answered at least 80 % of the questions correctly.
A person who has been issued with a consultant's certificate automatically acquires the status of Professional plant protection product of the second registration class user, plant protection product vendor and plant protection product application operator for a period of five years.
The costs related to the examination and issuance of the certificate, as well as other certificates, shall be covered by the person in accordance with the normative acts on the price list for paid services provided by State Plant Protection Service.
The validity period of the consultant's certificate is 5 years.
In order to be able to renew the consultant's certificate, the person must complete a training course on new developments in plant protection legislation.
To renew the certificate, the person must submit an application, the certificate, a certificate of completion of the training course from the trainer and a photograph. The State Plant Protection Service extends the validity of the licence on the basis of the information provided in the application and the certificate. The certificate is not required if the State Plant Protection Service extends the validity of the certificate at the trainer with whom the training programme was completed.
If a person has not renewed their certificate within one year of its expiry in accordance with the requirements of the regulations, they can obtain a new certificate only after they have attended a training course on new developments in plant protection legislation and successfully passed an examination on the basic training programme.
Topics for basic and refresher training for plant protection consultants
(72 hors: 69 hours for training, 3 hours for exam, 12 hours for refreshing knowledge)
| Topic | Baisic training (in hours) |
Refreshing knowledge (in hours) |
| 1. The concept of plant protection. Plant protection in Latvia. The main measures for the control and eradication of plant pests | 0,5 | |
| 2. Legislation on the storage and use of plant protection products.
European Union plant protection legislation. Latvian national plant protection legislation. Requirements to be complied with by users of plant protection products in accordance with the regulatory acts. Registration of plant protection products. Register of plant protection products. Main restrictions on the use of plant protection products. Labelling of plant protection products. Records of plant protection products purchased and used. Code of Administrative Offences. Law on administrative procedure. Main offences |
2,5 | |
| 3. Amendments to laws and regulations | 0,5 | |
| 4. Code of Administrative Offences. Law on Administrative Procedure. Main offences | 0,5 | |
| 5. Changes to the register of plant protection products | 1 | |
| 6. Basic principles of classification of plant protection products (e.g. by chemical composition, mode of action, harmful organism, formulation) | 1 | |
| 7. Quarantine and non-quarantine organisms | 1 | |
| 8. Crop diseases. Their classification | 2 | |
| 9. Crop pests (e.g. insects, mites, nematodes). Their feeding and development cycles | 2 | |
| 10. Weeds, their classification | 1 | |
| 11. Non-parasitic diseases (e.g. various adverse conditions, mechanical damage) | 1 | |
| 12. Integrated plant protection | 10 | |
| 12.1. Prevention - agro-technical, physical, genetic and other measures | ||
| 12.2. biological plant protection measures | ||
| 12.3.observations of harmful organisms, forecasts of their development. Diagnosis of harmful organisms. Critical thresholds. Decision-making on the implementation of pest control measures | 2 | |
| 12.4. comparative assessment of plant protection products | 0,5 | |
| 12.5. documenting and evaluating the plant protection measures taken | ||
| 13. Fruit trees | 9 | |
| 13.1.Biology of fruit trees, developmental stages (phenological phases) | ||
| 13.2. agroecological requirements for fruit trees | ||
| 13.3. pests, diseases and weeds of fruit trees and measures to control them | 1 | |
| 14. Berries | 8 |
|
| 14.1. berry biology, developmental stages (phenological phases) | ||
| 14.2. agroecological requirements for berry plants | ||
| 14.3. pests, diseases and weeds of berry plants and measures to control them | 1 | |
| 15. Vegetables | 8 |
|
| 15.1. vegetable biology, developmental stages (phenological phases) | ||
| 15.2. agro-ecological requirements of vegetables | ||
| 15.3. vegetable pests, diseases and weeds and measures to control them | 1,5 | |
| 16. Potatoes | 2 |
|
| 16.1. Potato biology, developmental stages (phenological phases) | ||
| 16.2. agro-ecological requirements of potatoes | ||
| 16.3. pests, diseases and weeds of potatoes and measures to control them | 0,5 | |
| 17. Cereals | 8 | |
| 17.1. Cereal biology, developmental stages (phenological phases) | ||
| 17.2. agro-ecological requirements of cereals | ||
| 17.3. pests, diseases and weeds of cereals and measures for their control | 1 | |
| 18. Rape | 2 | |
| 18.1. biology, developmental stages (phenological phases) | ||
| 18.2. agro-ecological requirements of oilseed rape | ||
| 18.3. rapeseed pests, diseases and weeds and measures to control them | 0,5 | |
| 19. Hemp, buckwheat, maize and flax | 2 |
|
| 19.1. Hemp, buckwheat, maize and flax biology, developmental stages (phenological phases) | ||
| 19.2. agro-ecological requirements for hemp, buckwheat, maize and flax | ||
| 19.3. hemp, buckwheat, maize and flax pests, diseases and weeds and measures to control them | 0,5 | |
| 20. Grasses | 2 | |
| 20.1. biology, developmental stages (phenological phases) of grasses | ||
| 20.2. agro-ecological requirements of grasses | ||
| 20.3. pests, diseases and weeds of grasses and measures for their control | 0,5 | |
| 21. Resistance of crop pests, pathogens, weeds. Resistance risk management | ||
| 22. Potential hazards and risks from the use of plant protection products | 2 |
|
| 22.1. risk to humans (operators, public, bystanders, people in the treated areas, handling or consuming treated products) | ||
| 22.2. risk to the environment (beneficial insects, flora and fauna, biodiversity) | ||
| 23. Symptoms indicative of poisoning by plant protection products. First aid | 0,5 | |
| 24. Illegal or counterfeit plant protection products. Risks. Identification of counterfeits | 0,5 | 0,5 |
| 25. Occupational health and safety requirements when working with plant protection products | 1 | |
| 26. Plant protection product application equipment. Preparation for use, calibration. Operation | 2 | |
| 27. Emergency response (accidental spillage of plant protection products, emergencies) | 0,5 |