State Agriculture Department Releases Pesticide Use Survey

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for enforcing the Maryland Pesticide Applicator’s Law, has released the results of a statewide pesticide use survey – the first such report since 2011. The report covers usage in 2014 but was conducted in 2015 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

“This survey provides us with comprehensive information about what pesticides are being used around the state and what trends are developing,” said Agriculture Secretary Joseph Bartenfelder. “This data not only helps agriculture and industry professionals understand what is being used, it also provides public and environmental health experts with information that can help them focus their research and monitoring efforts.”

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 include insecticides, herbicides (weed killers) and rodenticides. The survey, which was voluntary, included farmers, private applicators, commercially licensed businesses and public agencies that are permitted by MDA to apply pesticides. The overall response rate was 46 percent.

According to the survey, in 2014 nearly 5 million pounds of pesticides were used throughout Maryland. Herbicides accounted for 2.3 million pounds or 46 percent of total usage; insecticides accounted for 43 percent; and fungicides for 9 percent.

The 2014 total represents a 75 percent decrease in use of pesticides over 2011; however, that decrease is due entirely to the decrease in reported use of wood preservatives. Because there are only a handful of wood treatment facilities in the state, a non-response by any of them can lead to great variability in the results.

Meanwhile, fungicide use declined 20 percent; herbicide usage declined 15 percent; however, insecticide use increased 75 percent from 2014 over 2011.  A large portion of the increase in insecticide use is due to NASS’ classification of wood preservatives within the insecticide category.

More than 285 pesticide products are listed and ranked in the report. It also compares the top ten pesticide types (i.e., insecticides, herbicides and fungicides) used in 2014 and compares them to usage amounts from 2011, 2004, 2000, and 1997.

For a copy of Maryland Pesticide Statistics for 2014.

All commercial applicators must be registered and permitted with MDA. Restricted use pesticides may only be applied by, or under the direct supervision, of a licensed applicator. For a searchable database of licensed applicators as well pesticides that can be applied in Maryland, see: http://mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Pages/pesticide_db.aspx

For a brief overview of MDA’s Pesticide Regulation Section, see: http://mda.maryland.gov/Documents/ag_brief/AgBrief_PesticideReg.pdf

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