State Agriculture Department Encourages Participation in Pesticide Use Survey

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The 2014 Pesticide Usage Survey, an initiative of the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) that is conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), was mailed out this week to all certified private applicators (farmers), commercially licensed businesses, and public agencies that obtain a permit from MDA to apply pesticides. The survey is also sent to a random sampling of farmers who are not certified applicators. MDA strongly encourages all who receive this survey to complete it accurately and return it by July 15.

While the survey is voluntary, a high response is critical to ensuring MDA has the most accurate information possible. MDA is responsible for enforcing the Maryland Pesticide Applicator’s Law.

“This survey will provide us with comprehensive information about what pesticides are being used around the state and what trends are developing,” said Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “This crucial data will help agriculture and industry professionals understand what is being used, and it will provide public and environmental health experts with information that can help them focus their research and monitoring efforts.”

The survey was originally scheduled for distribution in April but was delayed due to technical issues. This is the eighth pesticide use survey MDA has conducted since 1985. Maryland is the only state in the Chesapeake Bay region to comprehensively survey pesticide use. The 2014 survey, for the first time, includes questions related to the time of year the product is applied and which crop or site is targeted for application. This additional information is being collected as a result of the Pesticide Use Information and Reporting Workgroup, which was formed following legislation passed in 2013.

Pesticides are defined as any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest. They can take the form of bait, liquid, powder or spray. Commonly used pesticides target pests including insects weeds, plant diseases and rodents.

All commercial applicators must be registered and licensed with MDA. Restricted use pesticides may only be applied by, or under the direct supervision, of a certified applicator. Fora searchable database of licensed applicators as well as pesticides that can be applied in Maryland, see here

For a brief overview of MDA’s Pesticide Regulation Section, see here.

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