The provisions of this chapter relating to commercial pesticide applicator licenses and requirements for their issuance shall not apply to:

     (1) Any forest landowner, or his or her employees, applying pesticides with ground apparatus or manually, on his or her own lands or any lands or rights-of-way under his or her control; or

     (2) Any farmer owner of ground apparatus applying pesticides for himself or herself or if applied on an occasional basis not amounting to a principal or regular occupation without compensation other than trading of personal services between producers of agricultural commodities on the land of another person; or

     (3) Any grounds maintenance person conducting grounds maintenance on an occasional basis not amounting to a regular occupation; or

     (4) Persons who apply pesticides as an incidental part of their business, such as dog grooming services or such other businesses as shall be identified by the director.

     However, persons exempt under this section shall not use restricted use pesticides and shall not advertise or publicly hold themselves out as pesticide applicators.

[1994 c 283 § 23; 1992 c 170 § 9; 1989 c 380 § 52; 1979 c 92 § 3; 1971 ex.s. c 191 § 5; 1967 c 177 § 12; 1961 c 249 § 20.]