Stay up to date with the latest from the Board of Pesticides Control. This update covers everything you need to know about upcoming meetings, new rules, and important reminders to keep you and your community safe. We’re here to keep you informed, and we’d like to hear your thoughts—drop us an email anytime at pesticides@maine.gov.
The following program has been approved for pesticide recertification credits. More recertification opportunities may be found on the BPC Credit Calendar.
July 9, 2026 – Understanding your Soil
Location: 6th Gen Farm, 1696 Town line Rd., Merrill, ME
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Approved for 1 pesticide credit
For More Information and Registration, please contact the Southern Aroostook SWCD at (207) 254-4126
July 22, 2026 – Regenerative Agriculture Field Day 2026
Location: CASWCD Research Farm, 157 Johnson Rd., Presque Isle, ME
The next Board Meeting is July 10, 2026 it will be hybrid at the Deering Building in Room 101 in Augusta, ME 04330, and on Microsoft Teams. The meeting starts at 9:00 AM. For more information, visit the Board Meetings Page.
Stakeholder Information Gathering Meeting
Pursuant to the 132nd Maine Legislature's passage of L.D. 1323 (RSLV 2026 c. 69), the Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) has embarked on a study to evaluate the impact of neonicotinoids on pollinators, humans, and the environment. The BPC is seeking input from the public, stakeholders, and interested parties on the seven study topics as directed by L.D. 1323 (RSLV 2026 c. 69, see Sec. 1). The BPC plans to hold 2 stakeholder input gathering meetings at upcoming board meetings and welcomes any written feedback on these topics.
The first of these input gathering meetings will be held on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Room 101 of the Deering Building, located at 90 Blossom Lane in Augusta. This meeting will be hybrid and may also be attended via MSTEAMS. The link to the meeting is at the top of the agenda and has been posted on the Board's Meetings webpage.
Staying Cool on the Job: How Pesticide Applicators Can Avoid Heat Illness
BPC would like to remind pesticide applicators about the symptoms of heat stress and heat stroke. See the article below from Alabama Extension’s website about the signs of heat-related illnesses.
Working in pest control during extreme heat poses real risks, making heat illness a constant concern. Staying safe starts with proactive measures to manage both your environment and physical condition. Key safety tips include the following:
Stay hydrated. Drink water regularly, not just when you are thirsty.
Dress appropriately. Choose light-colored, breathable clothing. According to research conducted by Washington State University, only 1 percent of labels require a full-covered suit during pesticide applications. Most require long pants, long-sleeve shirts, and shoes. The latter type of clothing can allow air to circulate, keeping you cool during hot summer days.
Use sun protection. This includes items such as wide-brimmed hats, cooling towels, and sunscreens with a high sun protection factor (SPF).
Plan your schedule. Handle the most physically demanding tasks during cooler parts of the day, which is early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Take breaks. Rest in shaded or cooled areas to regulate your core temperature.
Heat Exhaustion
Recognizing the early signs of heat exhaustion is just as important as preventing it. Some symptoms to watch for include the following:
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Muscle cramps
Nausea or vomiting
Rapid heartbeat
Clammy skin
To stay balanced, keep electrolyte drinks or snacks on hand, and never ignore what your body is telling you. Responding early to heat exhaustion can help you avoid more serious outcomes and keep you sharp and effective in the field.
Heat Stroke
More severe than heat exhaustion, heat stroke is a medical emergency, and it can look very similar to pesticide poisoning. Both may involve the following:
Confusion or disorientation
Weakness or fatigue
Nausea
Fainting
Seizures or loss of consciousness in extreme cases
This overlap makes it critical to evaluate your surroundings and recent tasks if symptoms appear. If you are working in high heat or using chemicals and something feels off, stop immediately, get to a cool place, and seek medical attention if symptoms escalate. Recognizing the similarities between these two conditions can help you respond quickly and protect your health on the job.
BPC Monthly Update Survey
We want to hear from you! Please take a moment to complete this survey and share helpful insights on what industry professionals and interested parties would like to read about in the updates. The survey is anonymous, and the answers will inform BPC on how to make the updates more engaging and useful for readers. You can take the survey now via Microsoft Forms.
Last month’s Tox Talk discussed EPA’s recent approval of CarriCae TI, a new orange-tree rootstock that was genetically edited to confer resistance against the pathogen that causes citrus greening. Because CarriCea T1 contains a novel plant incorporated protectant (PIP) that protects itself from the pathogen, it is considered a pesticide and regulated by FIFRA.
The PIP in CarriCea T1 was created using molecular techniques, but it is not considered a genetically modified organism (GMO). At first glance, the difference between crops that are genetically edited versus those that are genetically modified (GM or GMO) might appear subtle and inconsequential. However, this distinction is important. This is because FDA regulates genetically edited crops differently from GM crops.
Modern biotechnology plays a role in the creation of both gene edited and GM crops; the key difference stems from how they were created. GM crops contain a transgene, or a piece of DNA from a different species (Mendelsohn et al., 2023). For example, corn carrying the BT gene from the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis would be considered a GMO. CarriCea T1 does not contain a transgene and is therefore non-GMO. However, it has been genetically edited. Yet the difference between CarriCea T1 Orange Trees and Ruby Red grapefruit is that the latter was genetically edited in the 1970s by blasting grapefruit seeds with radiation, which randomly changes the DNA and properties of the fruit. In fact, many crops have been produced by either chemicals or radiation that mutates DNA.
Gene editing in plants is a faster and more targeted approach to create a desired trait. For example, it has been nearly ten years since Spanish scientists disrupted the gene that produces gluten in wheat (Sanchez-Leon et la., 2018). This gene-edited wheat is not currently FDA-approved, but someday gluten-free wheat might be beneficial to individuals who have Coeliac disease.
Precision gene-editing, which was used to create CarriCea T1, can be used to create a wide range of crops with novel plant incorporated protectants. Recently, a panel of scientists from Europe and China envisioned that gene edited crops could replace all GM crops by 2035 (Ahmar et al., 2026).
New Restrictions on Certain Rodenticides and Herbicides
Effective June 16, 2026, new rules adopted by the Maine Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) classify certain rodenticides and herbicides as Restricted-Use Pesticides (RUPs) in Maine.
As of that date:
General Use Pesticide dealers may no longer sell these products.
Individuals who are not licensed by the BPC may no longer purchase or use these products.
Affected Active Ingredients
Rodenticides
Brodifacoum
Bromadiolone
Difenacoum
Difethialone
Herbicides
Tebuthiuron
Products containing these active ingredients may be sold only by RUP Dealers and may be purchased and used only by Maine-licensed Private and Commercial Applicators.
For GUP Dealers
If you have any of these products in stock, they may no longer be offered for sale. Please contact your distributor regarding return options or arrange for disposal through a licensed hazardous waste disposal company. Contact the BPC Compliance Manager, José Gayoso, jose.gayoso@maine.gov, with questions about disposal.
For Applicators and Users
Pesticides containing Brodifacoum, Bromadiolone, Difenacoum, Difethialone, or Tebuthiuron may not be purchased or used by individuals who do not hold a current pesticide applicator license issued by the BPC.
This action implements legislation enacted by the 132nd Maine Legislature, including:
These laws were intended to restrict homeowner and other unlicensed use of Second-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) and herbicides containing Tebuthiuron.
A list of currently registered products affected by this rule is available on the BPC website. The list was generated on June 23, 2026, and may not include products that seek future registration in Maine. For the most current information on registered pesticide products, visit the BPC website.
Becoming a Restricted Use Pesticide Dealer
Dealers wishing to sell these products must:
Pass the written dealer examination with a score of 80% or higher;
Obtain a Restricted Use Pesticide Dealer License ($60 for a three-year license); and
Earn nine continuing education credits during each licensing period.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced it will host a roundtable on the herbicide paraquat this summer, convening scientists, subject-matter experts, farmworker and community advocates, and other stakeholders to discuss the documented safety challenges associated with the chemical, examine the latest science, and explore potential solutions and alternatives.
Additional details, including the date, location, format, and information on how to participate, are forthcoming and will be announced in the coming weeks.
The roundtable reflects EPA's commitment to grounding every regulatory decision in the strongest, most reliable science available — science that protects the health of all Americans, including farmers, farmworkers, and fenceline communities. It also advances the Agency's pledge of radical transparency by creating an open forum where independent scientists, advocates, and affected communities can engage directly with EPA on the questions surrounding paraquat.
After reviewing a new vapor-pressure study, the Agency determined that greater uncertainty exists about how much paraquat volatilizes from agricultural fields than previously understood. In response, EPA issued a Data Call-In Notice requiring paraquat manufacturers to conduct a field volatility study under real-world agricultural conditions — moving the Agency's evaluation from modeled assumptions to actual field data. EPA has committed to making the resulting data, its methods, and its updated risk analysis publicly available and open for public comment.
"Americans deserve gold-standard science and radical transparency, and that is exactly what we are delivering on paraquat," said Administrator Lee Zeldin. "When new science raises questions, we will not look the other way. We are requiring manufacturers to prove that current uses are safe under real-world conditions, and if they cannot meet that standard, decisive action will follow. This roundtable is about bringing the best minds and most affected voices to the table so that whatever we do next is grounded in the best available gold-standard science."
The roundtable is expected to address the documented safety issues and inhalation-exposure concerns associated with paraquat, the state of the science informing EPA's ongoing reassessment, and the range of possible protective measures and alternative approaches. EPA has recognized the leadership of those who have called for stronger protections for workers and communities and intends for the roundtable to be a constructive, science-driven dialogue.
EPA shares a core goal with stakeholders across the spectrum: any pesticide on the market must meet the highest standards of safety, grounded in the best available science. Where accurate new studies reveal additional risk, EPA will be positioned — scientifically and legally — to tighten protections, require tougher rules, and limit uses as needed to protect workers, neighbors, and communities.
Further details on the paraquat roundtable will be released in the weeks ahead.
Maine State Government is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
