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Crop and Pest Management Guidelines

A Cornell Cooperative Extension Publication
43863

1.6 Check Label for Site and Pest

Before purchasing a pesticide, carefully and thoroughly read the label to be sure that the pest you wish to control is listed for the site (i.e., crop) where you will apply the pesticide. In New York State, it's a requirement that the pest must be listed on the label for the site you're treating. Other states may not have this requirement.

If a pest is not listed on the label for the site you're treating, check the NYSDEC's product registration database to see if a 2(ee) recommendation for unlabeled pest has been approved for the pesticide and the site. (See Section 1.10 for more on 2(ee)s.)

Before purchasing new quantities of a pesticide you have used before, be sure to read the label for the new product. Labels can and do change! It's not uncommon for sites and/or pests to be deleted from a newer version of a label. Checking this ahead of time will prevent you from making an illegal pesticide application or put you in the position of having an unusable pesticide.