Which federal agency is responsible for registering pesticides?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the federal agency responsible for registering pesticides in the United States. This authority is crucial for ensuring that all pesticides meet safety and environmental standards before they can be marketed or used. The EPA evaluates data regarding the potential effects of pesticides on human health and the environment, which includes reviewing research on toxicity, exposure, and environmental fate.

This registration process is meant to ensure that only products that have been scientifically proven to be effective and safe are available to consumers and agricultural professionals, thereby protecting public health and the environment from potentially harmful substances. Other agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, have critical roles in areas related to agriculture, food safety, and worker health, but none have the specific mandate to register pesticides like the EPA.