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Why herbicides can be listed as Restricted Use Pesticides

An extension pesticide safety coordinator emphasizes herbicides, fungicides, and rodenticides are all federally regulated the same way.

Dr. Dean Herzfeld with the University of Minnesota says recognizing that pesticides are not just insecticides is an important starting point for anyone using these products.

“The labels are legal requirements to protect you, your family, and the environment.  And Restricted Use Pesticides come into play when EPA (provides) an alternative to cancellation when additional education is needed to minimize the risks that the product may pose.”

He tells Brownfield there’s been a lot of confusion following the EPA decision to list low-volatility dicamba herbicides as Restricted Use Pesticides for the 2018 growing season.

“I think what we’re dealing with here is that legally a pesticide is a herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, rodenticide, nematicide, and so on.  They’re all pesticides.  So Restricted Use Pesticide designation can be applied to any of those.”

Herzfeld points out older formulations of dicamba are not considered Restricted Use Pesticides.