March 15, 2013

Now is a good time to take an inventory of your pesticides and their labels if you didn’t do it last fall. Check the quantities and condition of what you have in stock and determine what you need to order for the upcoming growing season. Check to make sure that the label is attached to each container and is legible. If you need to replace a label, make sure that it has the same information as the original.

Labels can change from year to year; however, legally, you must follow the label on the container of the product you are using. You cannot use a label from a newer (or older) container with different use directions. Replacement labels can be obtained from the pesticide dealer where you bought the product, or online at several websites, including:

• Greenbook (http://www.greenbook.net/),
• Crop Data Management Service (http://www.cdms.net/), and
• Agrian (http://www.agrian.com).

All of these websites work a little differently, but all offer free labels, supplemental labels, and material safety data sheets (MSDSs, sometimes called safety data sheets, or SDSs).

To maintain an up-to-date pesticide inventory, you will need to have labels and any required supplemental labeling in your possession. Assembling a loose-leaf notebook with labels for all the pesticides in your inventory or making electronic copies of the labels and storing them on your computer is a good idea.

For all products considered to be hazardous substances keep a set of MSDSs at the workplace where they will be accessible to all workers. MSDSs provides the information needed to respond effectively to situations involving daily worker exposure or emergency situations. MSDSs list the content of the product and if any of the ingredients are subject to specific regulations. They identify special precautions that should be taken when storing, using, and disposing of the product, but do not provide information on its use, such as application rates or PPE.

Adapted from Michigan State University Extension Press Release.

Erin Bauer, Extension Associate
Jan Hygnstrom, Project Coordinator
Clyde Ogg, Extension Educator
Pierce Hansen, Extension Assistant