NPTA Certificated Field Biologist (CFB) Exam Specification

 

The exam has six components:

  • Assignments
  • Identification
  • Trending and Analysis Exercise
  • Pest Risk Assessment Exercise
  • Short Answer Questions
  • Oral Exam

Assignments (10%)

1 FB ‘type’ report from each of 5 different types of site:

  • Food or drink manufacturing facilities (at least 1)
  • Bottling plants
  • Wet or dry pet or animal feed manufacturers
  • Food warehouses or distribution centres
  • Large catering facilities
  • Large food retail outlets
  • Large public or private sector institutions such as prisons or hospitals (max 1)
  • Pharmaceutical manufacture (max 1)
  • Food packaging manufacture (max 1)

Please specify the type of site, but redact any information that could identify the client.

Please use a standard format of report, including findings (with photos where appropriate), prioritised recommendations, actions and summary. Please include any relevant supplementary documents such as trending or pest risk assessment where these were completed as part of the visit/report.

Ideally submitted at least 3 weeks prior to the exam, but can be submitted after (no exam results announced until assignments marked)

Pest Identification (20%)

Provide both common and scientific names of 20 specimens

Score: 0.5% for common name and 0.5% for scientific name

Time: 20 minutes

Trending & Analysis Exercise (15%)

1 compulsory question

Candidate to draw graph(s) showing trends and analyse the trends to suggest issues.

Time: 30 mins

Pest Risk Assessment Exercise (15%)

1 compulsory question

A scenario will be provided. The candidate has to draw up a pest risk assessment that recommends pests to be monitored and PPM (Proactive Pest Management) visit frequency based on risk.  Copies of standards available.

Time: 30 mins

Exam Short Answer Questions (30%)

All questions compulsory.

Topics could include: pest biology, monitor types and monitoring techniques, control options, folder/portal contents, pesticide science, heat mapping, monitor/control point layout, among others.

Time 45 mins

Oral Exam (10%)

This can be done via Zoom/Teams on a different day from the exam

Includes questions on assignments, so it cannot be carried out until these have been submitted and marked.

Time: 20 mins

Scoring

  • Pass Mark 65% (with 50% minimum in all 6 sections)
  • Distinction 85%
  • A distinction is only available on the first sitting of the exam.
  • There is no partial re-sit to the exam.

Exam Fees

Member: £250 + VAT

Non-member: £325 + VAT

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