Pesticides Section
Pesticide Environmental Trust Fund
In 1993, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted legislation creating the Pesticide Environmental Trust Fund (PETF). This law requires companies registering pesticide products in North Carolina to pay an additional $25 or $50 environmental assessment fee for each brand registered with the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. Companies must pay $25 for products with annual sales less than $5,000, and $50 for products with annual sales $5,000 or greater. Fees collected from this assessment are deposited into the Department's Pesticide Environmental Trust Fund.
The predominate purpose of the fund is for those pesticide-related environmental programs administered by NCDA&CS. The authority to use this funding is "...as directed by the Board...", therefore, the NCDA&CS may utilize these funds for Departmental environmental programs, with oversight from the North Carolina Pesticide Board.
The PETF provides funding for pesticide container recycling and a variety of other pesticide environmental projects approved by the N.C. Pesticide Board.
NCDA&CS will consider projects for possible PETF funding based on the following criteria:
- Be a pesticide environmental related project
- Address NCDA&CS and Board recognized pesticide-related concerns and include a justification for candidate projects
- Focus on risk reduction
- List a primary contact and grant administrator for each project
- Include the completion and submission of a PETF Disbursement Form, prior to receipt of any funding
- Include letters/signatures of support from all cooperators for each project
- Include realistic objectives for the project
- Include measurements of success
- Be directed or administered by a governmental entity with recognized existing account and auditing responsibilities (e.g. local government, state-funded schools, etc.)
- Include systematic reporting on project to the PETF Supervisor and/or Pesticide Board as requested
Decisions on whether to fund submitted projects will be based on the following: adherence to the above selection criteria, justification of the need for a project (including consideration of preexisting sources of funding for submitted projects), and the ability to further the NCDA&CS directive in protecting the health, safety and welfare of the people and environment of this state. The Board may reject the use of the PETF monies to pay indirect or overhead costs which it considers excessive.
The Pesticide Section administers the PETF moneys and is responsible for overseeing the management of the various programs and projects that are funded by the PETF.
For additional information, please contact Henry Weaver, at (919)733-3556 or email: henry.weaver@ncagr.gov
Agromedicine
The N.C. Pesticide Law of 1971 mandates that agromedicine receives at least 25% of the funds coming into the PETF each year. North Carolina's agromedicine program is now officially recognized as the North Carolina Institute for Health and Safety in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Three participating universities (N.C. State University, East Carolina University, and N.C. A & T State University) collaborate in research, education, and outreach efforts. This Institute works to improve rural health and safety, thereby enhancing the quality of life for rural North Carolinians and serving as a nationwide model in developing intervention programs.
For more information on Agromedicine, check out their site: www.ncagromedicine.org
Recent PETF Projects
- WPS Respiratory Protection Support
- Regional Survey of Mosquito Control Knowledge and Usage in North Carolina
- FieldWatch™ - Apiary and Speciality Crop Site Registries
- Demonstration Pesticide Storage, Mixing, and Loading Facility for Small Farmers
- Production and Distribution of Pesticide Record-Keeping Manuals
- Online Training of Healthcare Providers on Pesticide Related Illness and Health Issues
- Risk Mitigation Measures Cost Share
- Pesticide Inspection Data Management System (Phase III)
- Pesticide Container Recycling
