(1)(a) Each brand of pesticide, as defined in s. 487.021, which is distributed, sold, or offered for sale, except as provided in this section, within this state or delivered for transportation or transported in intrastate commerce or between points within this state through any point outside this state must be registered in the office of the department, and such registration shall be renewed biennially. Emergency exemptions from registration may be authorized in accordance with the rules of the department. The registrant shall file with the department a statement including:

1. The name, business mailing address, and street address of the registrant.

2. The name of the brand of pesticide.

3. An ingredient statement and a complete current copy of the labeling accompanying the brand of pesticide, which must conform to the registration, and a statement of all claims to be made for it, including directions for use and a guaranteed analysis showing the names and percentages by weight of each active ingredient, the total percentage of inert ingredients, and the names and percentages by weight of each “added ingredient.”

(b) For the purpose of defraying expenses of the department in connection with carrying out the provisions of this part, each registrant shall pay a biennial registration fee for each registered brand of pesticide. The registration of each brand of pesticide shall cover a designated 2-year period beginning on January 1 of each odd-numbered year and expiring on December 31 of the following year.

(c) Each registration issued by the department to a registrant for a period beginning in an odd-numbered year shall be assessed a fee of $700 per brand of pesticide and a fee of $200 for each special local need label and experimental use permit, and the registration shall expire on December 31 of the following year. Each registration issued by the department to a registrant for a period beginning in an even-numbered year shall be assessed a fee of $350 per brand of pesticide and fee of $100 for each special local need label and experimental use permit, and the registration shall expire on December 31 of that year.

(d) All revenues collected, less those costs determined by the department to be nonrecurring or one-time costs, shall be deferred over the 2-year registration period, deposited in the General Inspection Trust Fund, and used by the department in carrying out the provisions of this chapter.

(e) If the renewal of a brand of pesticide, including the special local need label and experimental use permit, is not filed by January 31 of the renewal year, an additional fee of $25 per brand of pesticide shall be assessed per month and added to the original fee. This additional fee may not exceed $250 per brand of pesticide. The additional fee must be paid by the registrant before the renewal certificate for the registration of the brand of pesticide is issued. The additional fee shall be deposited into the General Inspection Trust Fund.

(f) This subsection does not apply to distributors or retail dealers selling brands of pesticide if such brands of pesticide are registered by another person.

(g) All registration fees, including late fees, are nonrefundable.

(h) For any currently registered pesticide product brand that undergoes labeling revisions during the registration period, the registrant shall submit to the department a copy of the revised labeling along with a cover letter detailing such revisions before the sale or distribution in this state of the product brand with the revised labeling. If the labeling revisions require notification of an amendment review by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the registrant shall submit an additional copy of the labeling marked to identify those revisions.

(2) The department shall adopt rules governing the procedures for the registration of a brand of pesticide and for the review of data submitted by an applicant for registration of the brand of pesticide. The department shall determine whether the brand of pesticide should be registered, registered with conditions, or tested under field conditions in this state. The department shall determine whether each request for registration of a brand of pesticide meets the requirements of current state and federal law. The department, whenever it deems it necessary in the administration of this part, may require the manufacturer or registrant to submit the complete formula, quantities shipped into or manufactured in the state for distribution and sale, evidence of the efficacy and the safety of any pesticide, and other relevant data. The department may review and evaluate a registered pesticide if new information is made available that indicates that use of the pesticide has caused an unreasonable adverse effect on public health or the environment. Such review shall be conducted upon the request of the State Surgeon General in the event of an unreasonable adverse effect on public health or the Secretary of Environmental Protection in the event of an unreasonable adverse effect on the environment. Such review may result in modifications, revocation, cancellation, or suspension of the registration of a brand of pesticide. The department, for reasons of adulteration, misbranding, or other good cause, may refuse or revoke the registration of the brand of any pesticide after notice to the applicant or registrant giving the reason for the decision. The applicant may then request a hearing, pursuant to chapter 120, on the intention of the department to refuse or revoke registration, and, upon his or her failure to do so, the refusal or revocation shall become final without further procedure. The registration of a brand of pesticide may not be construed as a defense for the commission of any offense prohibited under this part.

(3) The department, in addition to its other duties under this section, has the power to:

(a) Review data of the United States Environmental Protection Agency on any pesticide.

(b) Formally request the United States Environmental Protection Agency to require registrants of pesticides to provide the department with environmental test data generated in this state or generated by simulating environmental conditions in this state.

(c) Request information from the United States Environmental Protection Agency relating to the findings upon which that agency based its registration determinations for pesticides registered in this state.

(d) Require a registrant to continue the registration of a brand of pesticide that remains on retailers’ shelves in the state unless the department receives the registrant’s written notification that it is discontinuing the distribution of a brand of pesticide and the registrant then maintains the registration of that brand for a minimum of 2 years. The discontinued brand of pesticide may remain on retailers’ shelves without further registration if the brand of pesticide is not distributed by the registrant in the state during or after the minimum 2-year period.

(e) Require data demonstrating the efficacy of pesticide products containing label statements that include directions for use as preventive treatments for termites for new construction. The department shall review the data and determine if the data supports label claims of termite prevention or protection from termite damage. Label claims for protection from damage must be supported by data that shows the product will prevent damage to a structure and its contents for a minimum of 5 years under Florida conditions. If the data does not support such label claims, then the product cannot be registered or reregistered. The department shall adopt rules specifying performance standards and acceptable test conditions for data submitted in support of an efficacy claim, or may reference such performance standards and test conditions established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

(4) Each application for a special local need registration must be supported by evidence of efficacy and safety which shall be submitted with the application for registration. This evidence, in whole or part, shall be examined by any other governmental agency designated by the department, which shall make recommendations to the department as to whether the application shall be accepted or rejected. The department may then issue an acceptance or rejection.

(5) In the discharge of duties under this section, the department shall seek the review and comment of other appropriate agencies. The procedures for obtaining review and comment shall be established through memoranda of understanding or cooperative agreements. Confidential data received by such governmental agencies from the department shall be confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1); and it is unlawful for any member of such agency or of the department to use the data for his or her own advantage or to reveal the data to the public.

(6) This section does not affect the authority of the department to administer the pesticide registration program under this part or the authority of the Commissioner of Agriculture to approve the registration of a brand of pesticide.

(7) Pesticides used in accordance with provisions under federal or state restriction, suspension, or cancellation orders, or other existing stock agreements, are exempt from this section.

History.—s. 1, ch. 65-457; ss. 14, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 4, ch. 73-63; s. 2, ch. 78-154; s. 3, ch. 79-210; s. 16, ch. 84-338; s. 85, ch. 85-81; s. 1, ch. 85-172; s. 2, ch. 88-304; s. 2, ch. 91-20; ss. 5, 37, ch. 92-115; s. 7, ch. 94-233; s. 323, ch. 96-406; s. 1123, ch. 97-103; s. 13, ch. 2000-154; s. 13, ch. 2000-308; s. 9, ch. 2001-279; s. 25, ch. 2002-295; s. 26, ch. 2004-64; s. 1, ch. 2007-67; s. 101, ch. 2008-6; s. 4, ch. 2008-107; s. 14, ch. 2009-20; s. 32, ch. 2009-66; s. 14, ch. 2011-206; s. 42, ch. 2013-226; s. 18, ch. 2014-150; s. 1, ch. 2017-158; s. 5, ch. 2018-84.