This report provides background on the emerging conflict over interpretation and implementation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA). For the more than 30 years since they were enacted, there has been little apparent conflict between them. But their relationship has recently been challenged in several arenas, including the federal courts and regulatory proceedings of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In this report, a brief discussion of the two laws is followed by a review of the major litigation of interest. EPAs efforts to clarify its policy in this area, including a regulation issued in November 2006, are discussed, as well as possible options for EPA and Congress to address the issues further.

Pesticide handlers have never had an easy time keeping abreast of the regulations that affect them, but it is getting even more difficult as public pressure adds more layers of new rules. At the same time, there's a trend toward making the individual applicant more responsible for knowing the rules and for getting more training. This is the only volume that, in clear language, describes the system, the current issues in regulation, and the science behind them for the user. It can be helpful for the beginner, the veteran, or anyone who needs a reference encompassing the entire range of pesticide regulatory issues, such as groundwater, endangered species, recordkeeping, worker protection, and more. There's also an exclusive, first-ever compilation of the rules in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for the training and testing required to become a certified applicator-something that varies considerably from state to state.

Non-Chemical Weed Control is the first book to present an overview of plant crop protection against non-food plants using non-chemical means. Plants growing wild—particularly unwanted plants found in cultivated ground to the exclusion of the desired crop—have been treated with herbicides and chemical treatments in the past. As concern over environmental, food and consumer safety increases, research has turned to alternatives, including the use of cover crops, thermal treatments and biotechnology to reduce and eliminate unwanted plants. This book provides insight into existing and emerging alternative crop protection methods and includes lessons learned from past methodologies. As crop production resources decline while consumer concerns over safety increase, the effective control of weeds is imperative to insure the maximum possible levels of soil, sunlight and nutrients reach the crop plants. - Allows reader to identify the most appropriate solution based on their individual use or case - Provides researchers, students and growers with current concepts regarding the use of modern, environment-friendly weed control techniques - Presents methods of weed management—an important part of integrated weed management in the future - Exploits the knowledge gained from past sustainable weed management efforts