BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — A bill passed late in the spring session of the 104th Illinois General Assembly would change the renewal requirements for professional crop applicators within the state. Senate Bill 783, which amends the Illinois Pesticide Act, will allow licensed applicators to extend their licenses with the completion of continuing education requirements. Currently, the state’s 36,000 licensed applicators have to take an in-person proficiency exam every three years. 

“It’s very common for farms across the state to employ temporary help during planting and harvesting season, and we want to ensure these workers are able to operate equipment critical to the farm’s success,” said Illinois State Representative Amy Briel, a Democrat from Illinois’ 76th District, which encompasses a largely rural area of north-central Illinois including Peru and Ottawa. 

 Kevin “KJ” Johnson, executive director of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA), said in a video message to members that the bill, an IFCA initiative, represents the most significant legislation to affect applicators in quite some time. 

“This will allow all of our applicators here in the state of Illinois and in the future to take continuing education credits to keep up their license,” Johnson said of SB 783, which sailed through the Illinois Senate 50-4 and the state House 116-0. 

“We have heard loud and clear from all our members and all the applicators in the state of Illinois that they would like to have this option. This option now moves to the governor’s desk for his signature. We do think he will sign this bill,” he added.  

The bill advanced out of the House Ag Committee by a 9-0 vote on May 29 after advancing through the Senate Ag Committee on May 9. It was approved by both Illinois chambers on the spring session’s final day, May 31. The legislation allows the Illinois Department of Agriculture to adopt rules regarding implementation and oversight of the continuous credit program, which will be offered to applicators only after passing their initial 100-question, in-person exam. 

Johnson said the switch to continuing credits from an in-person exam will allow applicators to gain more knowledge about the products they are spraying along with current regulations affecting their trade. “There is still a lot of stuff to get done with rulemaking, but we are well on our way to getting continuous education credits here in the state of Illinois,” he said, adding that applicators with questions about the new regulation can call the IFCA office at (309) 827-2774.

SB 783 was sponsored by Sen. David Koehler (D-Peoria) and co-sponsored by three other Democratic lawmakers and Rep. Jason Bunting, the sole Republican sponsor. It will take effect on January 1; however, the continuous credit system is not anticipated to be ready for the switch until 2027. 

“I’m pleased to work on this bicameral, bipartisan legislation which will uplift our farm families who’ve sustained our food supply for generations,” said Briel. “Expanding this license availability is essential to maintain the efficiency and prosperity of Illinois farms.”

Another bill touted by the IFCA, SB 849, directs that Class B commercial driver’s licenses for farm-related service industries shall be available for a seasonal period or periods not to exceed a total of 210 (rather than 180) days in any 12-month period. The measure passed unanimously out of the state Senate and advanced to the House Transportation Committee in April.

Sponsored by state Sen. Patrick Joyce, a Democrat from Dixon, the bill passed both legislative chambers on May 30 behind the sponsorship of 16 other Democrats and three Republicans. 

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has 90 days from the date of both bills’ passage to sign them into law.