Caution Urged with Pesticides

Caution Urged with Pesticides. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

With springtime comes annoying pests around your home or ranch. Home-use pesticides can be used safely and effectively if all precautions are taken. The Oregon Department of Agriculture is stepping up its outreach and education this spring. That includes asking residents to do some homework before purchasing a pesticide product.

JONES:  There's that idea that if one is good, two are better. That's not always the case. It's really important to make sure that you correctly identify the pest that you are hoping to treat, that you pick a product that is appropriate for the location that you are going to be making the application to.

ODA pesticide investigator Sunny Jones says just about everything you need to know about pesticide use can be summed up in three words.

JONES:  Read the label. Read those instructions. And just as importantly, actually follow the instructions on the label. You are going to save yourself a lot of headaches in the long run if you can follow those two steps.

The label tells you not only what pests the pesticide product takes care of, but gives you special precautions and helps you understand if it's the right pesticide to use. Information on proper storage and disposal is also contained on the label. Consumers should know that pesticide products may be easy to find on the store shelf, but that doesn't mean they should be treated lightly.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.