Deborah Hayes, Outdoor Appearance

Due to a number of requests, concerns, and considerations, The South Carolina Pesticide Act, as amended in 2006, has come under scrutiny.  Certain legislators and individuals believe that the Act is too stringent and hurts small businesses.  These individuals and legislators want to propose dissolution of licensing to spray all non-selective herbicides.  Most all professional associations of the industry are against this proposal for a number of reasons including, in no order of importance:

(1)    Consumers might be harmed when untrained individuals are able to spray a variety of materials without training or financial responsibility.

(2)    Pesticide workers may not receive the training necessary to use pesticides safely.

(3)    Companies who are operating in a professional manner would have to compete with others not required to be accountable by training, record keeping or financial responsibility.

According to good sources, the legislators are moving forward to change the law.  So, in an attempt to preserve our professional responsibility and to protect workers and consumers, a compromise was proposed.  The compromise models a licensing program in Tennessee for glyphosate applications.  Small amounts of glyphosate, the active ingredient in products such as RoundUp could be sprayed with a limited license, using small sprayers.  It would still require initial testing to insure that the applicant understands the safety of storing, handling, mixing, and transporting pesticides; it would require that the applicant have insurance; but, it would not require recertification credits.

There is no way to predict how this will play out with the legislators, and we wish the Act was not changed at all, but only time will tell how this ends.  Hopefully, everyone in our industry will make their voices heard on these matters.