If pesticides didn't show up in groundwater, if pesticides didn't kill non-target birds, fish, and beneficial insects, if pests didn't develop resistance, if there weren't any secondary pest outbreaks or pest resurgence, and if consumers weren't concerned, none of these programs would be as necessary or as costly as they have proven to be. Instead of focusing resources on the cause of the problem, pesticide misuse, the federal government has developed programs to deal with the symptoms of the problem. The common thread running through all of these programs is the potential for pesticides to cause adverse effects to humans and the environment. USDA has chosen to use IPM programs to minimize health and environmental risks. The fact is, there simply are not enough resources available to conduct all the required training.
Regulations are of little consequence unless they are enforced.
A good enforcement program requires a good educational program. Applicators who knowingly misuse a pesticide after completing a comprehensive training program and competency based examination, should be subject to severe penalties. Their misuse not only jeopardizes the registration of pesticides needed by other applicators, but also violates the publics' trust. We are concerned about the federal government's commitment to pesticide safety. Many of the problems that make the evening news or the front page of the paper are more of a media event than a genuine hazard to our food or our environment.