Michael T. Olexa
The use of agricultural chemicals is subject to extensive regulation at every level of government. At least six federal statutes, numerous amendments, and countless administrative regulations address every aspect of their use, from manufacture and distribution to storage, application and disposal. State and local environmental and land use laws also regulate how agricultural chemicals may be used. Many of these regulations carry civil and criminal penalties. In addition to this extensive mass of regulations, a farmer may also be subject to a lawsuit if persons or property are harmed by the farmer's use of pesticides.
Farmers can avoid violating these laws while protecting human health and environment by exercising care and common sense in the use of agricultural chemicals and through familiarity with the law.
Farmers
and others with questions concerning their agrichemical operations
can turn to numerous sources for answers. Federal, state,
and local environmental or agricultural agencies, the Cooperative
Extension Service, and private agricultural associations,
may serve as excellent sources of information. Private attorneys
specializing in environmental or agricultural law and environmental
and agricultural consulting firms are also useful sources
in addressing specific concerns.
Publication #: FRE-79
This document was published 11/91 as Fact Sheet
FRE-79
, Florida Cooperative Extension Service. For more information,
contact your county Cooperative Extension Service office.
Michael T. Olexa, Associate Professor and Agricultural Law
Specialist, Food and Resource Economics Department, Institute
of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), University of Florida,
Gainesville, Florida. This publication is designed to provide
accurate, current and authoritative information on the subject.
However, since the laws, administrative rulings and court
decisions on which it is based are subject to constant revision,
portions of this publication could become outdated at any
time. This publication is distributed with the understanding
that the author is not engaged in rendering legal or other
professional advice, and the information contained herein
should not be regarded, or relied upon, as a substitute for
professional advice.
Disclaimer and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
