Changes to pesticide product registration adopted

Lawmakers passed a bill May 2 that removes the specialty pesticide designation from pesticide product registration.

Currently, pesticides classified as specialty are charged a registration fee of $160 per product while nonspecialty pesticides are charged a fee of $200. LB69, introduced by Ogallala Sen. Ken Schilz, removes the specialty classification and establishes an annual registration fee of $160 for all pesticide products.

The bill makes several additional changes, some of which include:
• updating contaminant levels in drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act;
• updating a reference relating to the state Department of Agriculture’s authority with regard to designating pesticide applicator categories; and
• requiring that the renewal of an aerial pesticide business license is completed before the filing of a pesticide registration application.

The bill passed on a 40-0 vote.