Minnesota Department of Agriculture urges safe use of pesticides, fertilizers

(KTTC) – Warm spring weather is here and many Minnesotans are thinking about their lawns, trees and gardens. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is urging the safe use of pesticides and fertilizers on your property whether you do the yard work yourself or hire a professional.

It’s unlawful to apply pesticide and fertilizer products without following the label instructions in Minnesota.

If you hire a professional lawn care provider, do your homework. State law requires professionals to be licensed by the MDA and carry their license with them.

Also, be cautious of people who claim their products are completely safe or pressure you to sign a service contract.

Other tips for hiring a professional include:

• Recognize posted warning flags in areas that have been chemically treated.
• Applicators are required to provide an application record to you. Review the records, including products used and the amounts applied.
• Be sure the applicator sweeps the sidewalks and hard surfaces clean of any dry or granular products.

If you do it yourself, do not apply products in windy or adverse weather conditions as they can cause products to drift and potentially harm people, pets or plants.

Also sweep sidewalks of any product. Pesticides left on those surfaces could wash into our water supply.

Finally, buy only what you need, unused products must be stored according to the label.

You can call the MDA at 651-201-6615 for information about applicator license. You can report unlicensed applicators by filing a complaint on the MDA’s website or call 651-201-6333

You can also call the Better Business Bureau and check customer satisfaction histories for lawn care companies at 651-699-1111.

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