It’s very important for business owners to know exactly what pesticides they can use. This is especially true in agricultural industries, as current environmental laws have to be followed. These are always changing, so business owners need to know about different updates.
A good example of this happened on January 1, 2023, when neonicotinoid pesticide products were reclassified. Some of these products now carry the “restricted use” classification. Business owners do not want to accidentally violate this law, even when using a type of pesticide that may have been permissible in the past.
Specific ingredients that are restricted
To know what to avoid, it is critical that business owners understand exactly what specific products and ingredients were reclassified. This change in classification applies to all pesticides that contain thiamethoxam, acetamiprid and imidacloprid – in products intended for seed treatment and outdoor use.
This does not necessarily mean that they can’t be used at all, but they are just being restricted. Trained applicators are supposed to use these pesticides moving forward, and this reclassification was done to ensure that only those with the proper training are on the job. Additionally, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will need to get annual reports about the sales and use of these pesticides. This way, information about the use levels can be recorded by the state as they analyze how current policies are working.
Ensuring compliance
This is just one example of how things can quickly change so that products that used to be compliant no longer are. As a result, business owners need to know when changes happen and what legal options they have to ensure compliance and resolve potential disputes.
