If these questions create doubt about the safety of your management practices, this publication will provide helpful information. Pesticide Handling Overview Pesticides play an important role in agriculture. They have increased farm production and enabled farmers to manage more acres with less labor. Taking voluntary action to prevent pesticide contamination of ground water will help ensure that pesticides remain available for responsible use. Pesticides work by interfering with the life processes of plants and insects.
Some pesticides are also toxic to humans.
Chronic exposure may be hazardous to humans and livestock. Normally pesticides are not found in water supplies in high enough concentrations to cause acute health effects, which can include chemical burns, nausea and convulsions. Instead, pesticides usually occur in trace amounts, and the concern is for the chronic health problems that may result from prolonged exposure. Proper pesticide management on your property is an important step toward preventing ground water contamination. If stored in a secure, properly constructed location, pesticides pose little danger to ground water.