Plant Industries & Pest Management
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The Office of Plant Industries and Pest Management is made up of six sections: Pesticide Regulation, Forest Pest Management, Plant Protection and Weed Management, Turf and Seed, Mosquito Control, and State Chemist. These sections administer programs and enforce state or federal laws, regulations and quarantines related to management of pests that affect health of crops, forests, and natural areas; application and disposal of pesticides within the state; mosquito control; quality of commercial agricultural products sold in Maryland; quality of seeds and turf; and control of noxious weeds. Please select a link below (or to the left) to find out more about individual programs.
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The Pesticide Regulation Section administers Maryland's Pesticide Applicator's Law, approves training courses in the handling, storage and use of pesticides, conducts examinations to determine that pesticide applicators are competent to follow prescribed pest control practices, enforces federal laws on the sale and use of pesticides, and investigates pesticide accidents or incidents and consumer complaints on pesticide misuse.
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The Forest Pest Management program protects rural and urban forest tree resources from adverse effects of insects, diseases and other pests through environmentally sound pest management.
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The Plant Protection and Weed Management Section conducts inspection, and offers educational programs that protect the health of plants and honey bees in Maryland. Personnel in this section serve as the State's authorities on plant pests and agricultural quarantines, and provide liaison for the Department with other state and federal regulatory officials regarding these issues.
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The Mosquito Control Section provides a direct service to approximately 2,100 communities in 16 Maryland counties. The primary goal of this program is to prevent the occurrence of mosquito-borne disease in humans, pets and livestock.
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The Turf and Seed Section conducts regulatory and service programs, including seed inspection, testing, certification and quality control services, designed to insure the continued availability of high quality seed to Maryland's seed consumers.
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The State Chemist Section has been in continuous operation since 1833. The Section regulates the sale and distribution of pesticides, animal feeds, pet foods, fertilizers, compost, soil conditioners and agricultural liming materials in order to enhance and promote agricultural production; protect consumers, animals and the environment from unsafe products; ensure the sale of effective products and provide the regulated industry with a competitive marketplace.
