Applicators should be especially concerned because they may have the highest potential for exposure and thus, may have the greatest health risks. All applicators must be sensitive to public concerns about pesticide use and apply materials only in a safe and judicious manner. This is particularly true for vegetable growers who are often viewed by the general public as being responsible for providing safe and nutritious food. If pesticides are misused, this trust is violated, resulting in negative public relations and serious liable. The cost of developing new pesticides has risen at an increasingly rapid rate.
Many pesticides are petroleum based products and their costs increase with oil prices.
Government regulations and more stringent registration requirements have also slowed the rate of development and increased the costs of new products. Concerns about potential product liability have discouraged companies from introducing new products. Increasing problems with pest resistance have likewise resulted in shorter market lives for many pesticides than in the past. All of these factors result in higher costs and potentially lower profits for chemical companies. In turn, this leads to higher prices for pesticide users.