Q: Who oversees pesticide applications?

Florida mosquito control programs are established and operated according to the procedures given in the Mosquito Control Law, Chapter 388 Florida Statute (F.S.) and the Mosquito Control Rules, Chapter 5E-13, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act of 1972 (FIFRA) requires that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) be certain that all personnel handling hazardous or restricted use chemicals be trained to do so correctly and safely and that they be certified as pesticide applicators.

The state agency administering the certification is appointed by the governor of each state. In Florida, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) is the lead agency. They require that every employee applying pesticides for public control of mosquitoes be certified or be supervised by a certified applicator.

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