U.S. Utah State announces new pesticide rules

Date:07-15-2011

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food says it has made changes to the state's pesticide rules.

The agency says Utah's 1,020 commercial pesticide companies and over 4,700 commercial and non-commercial pesticide applicators will soon be receiving notices of the changes.

The agency says the move is designed to clarify the intent of Utah's pesticide laws, tighten accountability in case of violations and offer consumers increased protection.

Utah pesticide program manager Clark Burgess says the recent growth in the pest management and lawn care industry and a number of recent violations led to the action.

Under the new rules, companies must train pesticide applicators to follow label instructions and keep records. Both the applicator and company will also now share liability for pesticide violations.