MD PMPs Walk the Hill to Educate Legislators
About Pesticide Preemption
Pest Management Professionals from Maryland were joined by over 400 PMPs from other states at the NPMA Legislative Day held March 9 – 11 in Washington DC. This annual event is our industry’s opportunity to meet with Legislators and Hill Staff to share the vital role pest management plays in protecting public health, food, and property. The goal for this gathering was to present a united front with our pest control peers from across the country to ensure that our interests are at the top of mind for legislators. Pesticide Preemption was the lead issue we spoke with our legislators about.  Our industry is promoting state pesticide preemption at a federal level so only state-wide agencies, and not localities, can regulate the sale and use of pesticides.

To illustrate what happens in a state without preemption, Maryland PMPs shared their own challenges with keeping up with differing regulations between counties, not to mention the cost and logistical challenges associated.  As a PMP in Maryland, you may know that Montgomery County has a set of laws that ban the use of certain pesticides (https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DEP/property-care/lawns/law/allowed-pesticides.html ). Within Montgomery County is Takoma Park, where additional bans with notification requirements exist (https://takomaparkmd.gov/322/Safe-Grow). Imagine if state pesticide preemption were in place here in Maryland. What a positive impact that would be as you plan your services across all the localities in your area.

A National Patchwork
We have seen efforts in some of the 45 states with pesticide preemption to roll this back so that towns, cities, or counties can regulate pesticides despite the lack of scientific and technical resources available at the local level.

NPMA strongly believes that the EPA and the state lead agency should be the only regulatory entities responsible for pesticide registration, sale, and use. Until Congress clarifies the exclusive role of state lead agencies, localities can continue to impose conflicting regulatory restrictions without scientific assessment, economic analysis, consideration of the rights of property owners to control pests, or the responsibility of public health agencies to control disease vectors.

The goal of visits with legislators at Legislative Day was to encourage their support of statewide pesticide preemption language in the 2025 Farm Bill.  The Maryland contingent of PMPs that walked the Hill on March 11, included more than 10 people.  We visited the office of Maryland Senator, Ben Cardin, as well as Representative Steny Hoyer. With leave-behind materials supplied by NPMA, we provided specific amended Farm Bill language that we support, which specifically prohibits local regulation of pesticides.

MD PMPs touched on two other issues, which were well-received by the offices we visited. First, we asked for continued support of the 25c tax credit available to homeowners under the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit. Homeowners who remove and replace soiled or damaged insulation following a pest infestation, or who install new insulation, are eligible for up to a $1200 tax credit. As pest professionals, we believe the continuation of this tax credit is advantageous to communities all over the nation.

The second additional issue we discussed was the need for Congress to continue its strong support for global vector control programs, including the US President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI). The US has shown leadership in malaria research and control, saving nearly 13 million lives from malaria while preventing an additional two billion cases from occurring. Once an eliminated disease in the United States, there are now about 2,000 cases of malaria reported annually, and locally acquired cases (transmitted by U.S. mosquitoes) have been reported in Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, and Texas. The threat of malaria reintroduction in our country is real.

Other Events at Legislative Day
At Legislative Day, MSPCA’s Executive Staff started their time in DC by attending the Association Leadership Forum – a meeting where state association executives and leaders gather to exchange information, experiences, and ideas.  MSPCA Executive Director, Andrea Coron, sat on a panel called Experiences from Experts: State Associations, which focused on the on-the-ground discussions and practices within specific state associations on supporting public policy efforts. This meeting also highlighted the SPAR program and the opportunity to collaborate with allied associations who have similar advocacy needs.

A highlight for MSPA attendees is the annual PMP Legislative Day Dinner.  For the second year running, MD participants at Legislative Day were joined by VA PMPs for a lovely, social dinner out. Hosted at Equinox on 19^th, our group of 26 had the restaurant all to ourselves.  We enjoyed lively conversation, delicious food, and warm camaraderie during this evening. Special recognition to our allied attendees from BASF, Corteva, Envu, FORSHAW, and Target Specialty Products that covered the bar bill!

What is Pesticide Preemption?
Pesticide preemption is the concept that the EPA and the state-lead agency have the technical expertise and resources to best evaluate whether a pesticide is safe and effective. That is, the state lead agency preempts the local government when it comes to the highly technical work of determining how pest control products and services are employed. In states with preemption (currently 45), the state lead agency works with the EPA on all pesticide usage, sale, or distribution. Alaska, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Nevada do not have a pesticide preemption law, meaning that localities in these states can, and do, have different regulations.

How is a Pesticide Registered?
Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), a pesticide manufacturer obtains permission from the EPA to sell, distribute, or use a pesticide. Before approval, each prospective registrant must provide the EPA with a proposed label (which outlines the conditions of use) and close to 100 studies showing that the product is effective. Registrations are granted for 15-year periods but can be reassessed at any time.

State Limitations on the Use of a Pesticide
Once a pesticide is registered federally, a state’s lead regulatory agency (in Maryland it is the MDA State Chemist) will serve as a co-regulator with the EPA, assuring inhabitants and businesses of that state that the pesticide is safe, and placing any additional restrictions on the conditions of use. It is illegal to use a pesticide that has not been properly evaluated and approved by both the EPA and the lead regulatory authority in a state where the pesticide is being sold, distributed, or used.