Pesticide Laws and Regulations
Who regulates what
FIFRA is the federal law governing pesticide registration and use; EPA registers products and sets minimum national standards. Georgia enforces FIFRA and its own Georgia Pesticide Control Act through the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA), the state lead agency. USDA and Extension do not enforce pesticide law. Know the outlier: household and structural pest control in Georgia is licensed by the Georgia Structural Pest Control Commission, not GDA - a frequent distractor.
Who may apply
A private applicator uses or supervises restricted-use pesticides (RUPs) on land he owns or rents to produce an agricultural commodity. A commercial applicator applies pesticides for hire or on property of others. RUPs may be sold only to certified applicators or to persons under their direct supervision, and dealers must keep sales records.
Tolerances and records
FFDCA sets tolerances - the maximum legal residue on food and feed. A legal application can still be illegal if residues exceed tolerance. FIFRA requires certified applicators to keep RUP application records for two years (product, amount, date, location, crop).
Traps
"Registered" never means "safe" or "legal for any site." Any use inconsistent with the labeling is misuse, including applying to an unlisted site, exceeding the rate, or using less PPE than required. Section 24(c) special local needs registrations are state-specific; Section 18 exemptions are emergency, time-limited, and site-specific.
Worked example
A grower asks you to push a herbicide 50% above the labeled rate to kill a tough weed. Refuse. A Section 2(ee) recommendation can lower a rate, add a target pest, or change application method - it can never raise the rate above the label or reduce required PPE.