ABSTRACT
There was a time when all a pesticide applicator had to do was read a product's label to know how to apply it safely and what shouldn't be done with it. Those days are gone. While the pesticide label is still considered the law by federal and state pesticide regulators, much more of the burden for knowing new rules and regulations is being placed on the applicator. Pesticide users themselves are getting more diverse. About 70 percent of pesticides sold in the United States are used for the production of food, including that produced in greenhouses. Traditionally, regulators have kept their focus mainly on farmers because they were using most of the pesticides. But other users are getting more scrutiny these days, such as lawn care companies. That's because there is public concern about the chemicals placed on their or their neighbors lawns.
