An Extension Perspective of the Minor Use Crops Pesticide Problem in Vegetable Production

In 1988, Congress amended the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and mandated that all pesticide users registered before 1984 be re-registered by 1997 to meet certain human health and environmental standards. A survey conducted among Extension agricultural agents in the eastern U.S. shows that most agents are concerned that re-registration costs will result in the cancellation of many currently-labeled vegetable pesticides. The loss of these vegetable pesticide labels will likely result in failure to control certain insect pests, an increase in pest resistance to the remaining pesticides, an increase in insect-transmitted plant diseases, and an overall negative impact on effective pest-management programs for minor-use crops.