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EPA Penalizes Ione Company $9,800 for Pesticides Violations

Release Date: 11/12/2004
Contact Information: Lyn Frandsen
[email protected]
(206) 553-4768

November 12, 2004


The Seattle office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that Morrow County Grain Growers (MCGG), a farm supply company in Ione, Oregon, has agreed to pay $9,800 in penalties for violating federal pesticide laws.

An Oregon Department of Agriculture inspector discovered the violations during inspections of MCGG's facility in February 2004 and at a farm in the Dalles, Oregon in April 2004.

MCGG violated the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act when it improperly repackaged and sold bulk pesticides and improperly reported annual production of bulk pesticides.

The EPA requires dealers to ensure the product integrity of repackaged bulk pesticides. This includes getting written permission from the registrant (the party who ensures that the pesticide has met all EPA labeling and testing requirements), labeling the product correctly so that it contains the most up-to-date information, and size requirements for containers used to repackage bulk pesticides. Because the EPA cannot ensure their integrity, products that are improperly repackaged and sold are treated by theagency as unregistered pesticides. Selling unregistered pesticides may lead to penalties of up to $6,500 per violation.

“One of the foundations of consumer protection is ensuring product integrity for pesticides. Enforcing these re-packaging laws helps ensure that consumers have confidence in the pesticides they buy,” said Mike Bussell, Director of the EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance office in Seattle.

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Related Links:

Region 10 Pesticides Program (yosemite.epa.gov/R10/ECOCOMM.NSF/webpage/Pesticides)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (epa.gov/compliance/civil/programs/fifra/)

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