The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is recognizing National Pesticide Safety Education Month by reminding the public to read the label on all pesticide products and follow the instructions for their use.

The instructions and related precautions that appear on the pesticide label are intended to protect the user, other people, animals and the surrounding environment by minimizing the potential risk of exposure to the pesticide.

The likelihood of an incident is minimized when users follow the directions on the label.

Pesticide users are reminded that the pesticide label is the law. Failure to follow the directions could constitute violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, which is the federal pesticide law, as well as the Virginia Pesticide Control Act. Both the federal and Virginia pesticide laws provide for civil or criminal penalties for violations.

There’s more to this in the current issue of the Times Virginian newspaper. Support local journalism by purchasing the issue at a local newsstand or subscribing at www.timesvirginian.com/subscriber_services to receive the print edition or view the full article in the e-edition version.