LAW

Use Caution When Purchasing Pesticides Over the Phone 

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture Pesticide Division has
received three calls recently from individuals who had purchased
pesticides from telephone merchandisers and realized that they
were likely some overpriced product. In two of the three cases,
sales of the pesticides were illegal because the pesticides were
not registered in the state of North Dakota.

The one common thread in all of the transactions was that the
customer got ripped off. One of the products was a prometon
product that was said to control unwanted vegetation for six
years. The product had 3.7% prometon in it and cost $95 per
gallon. In comparison, one can purchase a similar product at a
local dealer, with 25% active ingredient, for about $27 per
gallon.

Another product containing 13% 2,4-D sold for $89 per gallon,
while you can get products containing 52% 2,4-D locally for about
$13 per gallon.

Before purchasing pesticides from telephone merchandisers, keep
the following points in mind:

1. Pesticides sold in North Dakota must be registered with the
   North Dakota Department of Agriculture.

2. Be sure the product is labeled for the site you intend to
   treat. 

3. Ask about the active ingredient in the pesticide and the
   percent concentration of the active ingredient and then
   either calculate the cost per acre or call a local dealer and
   ask if the cost, based on the active ingredient and percent,
   is comparable to what that dealer would sell. 

4. If you cannot get a company name, contact person, telephone
   number, or other descriptive information about the company,
   that should be a warning signal. 

(Submitted by:Barry Coleman, Pesticide Division Director, North
Dakota Department of Agriculture).