Which agency regulates the sale and use of pesticides in the United States?

• A. Environmental Protection Agency
• B. Food and Drug Administration
• C. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• D. United States Department of Agriculture

Answer: (D)

Pesticide regulation in the United States is handled by the Environmental Protection Agency. Under federal law, the EPA registers pesticides, approves their labels, and controls how they can be sold and used to protect people, pets, wildlife, and the environment. The label isn’t just guidance—it’s a legal document that dictates where, when, and how a product can be applied.

Other agencies have related roles but not the primary regulatory authority. The FDA oversees pesticide residues in food to some extent, OSHA focuses on workplace safety, and the USDA supports pest management programs and agricultural research. None of them regulate the sale and use of pesticides the way the EPA does under FIFRA.

So, the agency that regulates the sale and use of pesticides is the Environmental Protection Agency.