Pesticides

When planning a pest management program, follow the principles within this guide to avoid unnecessary pesticide sprays.

If the pesticide recommendations on the product label are followed, maximum residue limits on food crops will not be exceeded. Exceeding recommended rates or decreasing the days before harvest can result in high pesticide residues. Crops found with high residues or residues of unregistered pesticides will be seized and destroyed by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency of Health Canada.

Be sure to read the label on the pesticide container for legal restrictions regarding the use of pesticides.

Follow Safety Protocols

Prior to using a pesticide for disease control, be aware of pesticide use and safety protocols in agriculture. For example:

• Always read the label first! Follow label instructions and precautions and note the pre-harvest interval.
• Check that the chosen pesticide is acceptable to your buyers.
• Ensure that all the cultural alternatives for the pest in question have been considered.
• Be cautious and accurate. Use proper equipment, maintained in good condition and calibrated accurately, and follow pesticide discharge requirements.

Be a Good Neighbour

Pesticide application may concern people living or pursuing activities near farms. Most pesticide complaints are about spray drift. Others may be about improper pesticide storage, improper pesticide container disposal or noise from sprayers.

To reduce impacts, be sure to:

• Abide by provincial and federal legislation when using, transporting, storing and disposing of pesticides.
• Identify areas where drift could be a concern, such as property lines backing onto schools, care facilities, residential buildings, walkways, etc.
• Develop a drift reduction plan. Share the plan with concerned neighbours.
• Use buffer zones to prevent spray drift into sensitive areas.
• Adjust, maintain and calibrate your sprayer at least once a year.
• Apply pesticides when weather conditions minimize the possibility of drift.

Empathy by all concerned, along with continued communication and valid farming activities, will help minimize complaints as well as the production of local bylaws to control farming practices.

Learn more about resolving complaints on the Urban Issues page or on the Province's page about pesticides and the urban interface.

Spray Application Guide

The Ministry of Agriculture creates and distributes recommendations for pest control products for use on grapes in B.C.

Pest Control Products Recommended for Use on Grapes in British Columbia (PDF)