Product Selection and Purchase

Prevent the build-up of pests:

• Understand the conditions of your field
• Select the appropriate crop variety
• Strategic planting & crop rotation
• Optimizing crop nutrition
• Water & soil management

Monitor crops for pest emergence:

• Inspect your field regularly
• Identify specific biotic or abiotic agents affecting your crop
• Determine the right action to intervene

Proper intervention:

• Apply cultural and physical methods
• Implement biological control where possible
• Use chemical control when necessary

Expert advice must be sought when selecting and purchasing crop protection products.

•  Counterfeiting of crop protection is an alarmingly growing problem so farmers should be mindful of counterfeit products. They are encouraged to solely purchase registered products distributed and sold by authorized retailers. Counterfeit products pose a great risk to human health and the environment, besides hampering crop production as well as the plant science industry. Label integrity should always be verified before a product is used by farmers or operators.

CLI has composed two illustrative infographics, 

• one highlighting the impact of counterfeit products for the health of humans and environment-and the crucial role of counterfeiting
• and another explaining risks to the plant science industry.

For more technical and thorough guidance on dealing with counterfeiting, 

• see the OECD's Best Practice Guidance to Identify Illegal Trade of Pesticides.

Get in touch with organizations such as React if you suspect a case of counterfeiting.

• The transport and storage of crop protection products must be carried out cautiously to prevent accidents that may result in severe hazards to human health or the environment.
• Sealed pesticide containers must be transported carefully and saved in dedicated stores.
• Farmers and operators should ensure proper storing conditions such as temperature, humidity or light exposure, preventing product degradation or physical damage to the label instructions.
• Pesticide stores should be located away from food, feed, livestock, residential areas, wells and surface waters.
• Users must keep store records and update them regularly.

CLI has prepared a simple infographic with essential best practices. You can then find their more detailed guidelines for safety assurance as well as guidelines for warehousing.