Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
The federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act of 1972 makes it illegal to sell or transfer a pesticide unless the pesticide is registered with EPA. Any establishment that produces a pesticide must also be registered with EPA. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act of 1980 (FIFRA) requires that every insecticide, fungicide and rodenticide that is distributed or sold must be registered with EPA. In addition, the labeling of such products must comply with certain requirements. FIFRA requires users of pesticides to adhere to the requirements and prohibitions on the pesticide label. Each registration specifies the crops and insects on which it may be applied, and each use must be supported by research data on safety and efficacy.
The Virginia Pesticide Control Act (VPCA) was enacted in 1989 to regulate the manufacture, sale, application and storage of pesticides. The Act creates the Pesticide Control Board, which is responsible for promulgating and implementing regulations required to carry out the Act. Although the Board has the ultimate responsibility for administering the regulatory programs, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, under the supervision of the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, has the daily responsibility for carrying out Virginia's pesticide management program.
The VPCA requires that every pesticide that is manufactured, distributed, sold or offered for sale, used or offered for use within the state must be registered in accordance with regulations adopted by the Board. An individual planning to apply any pesticides, whether general use or restricted use, for industrial or commercial purposes, must obtain certification prior to applying the pesticides.