An Iowa Farm Coop has reached an agreement with the EPA for a civil penalty for selling restricted use pesticides. Operators of the Farm Services Cooperative in Shelby have agreed to pay $21,450 after the EPA says the coop sold restricted-use pesticides to an individual that was not certified to apply such pesticides.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture conducted an inspection of the Shelby facility on November 19, 2012 and found there were 3 sales of the restricted use pesticides in May and June of the same year. The EPA says the restricted use pesticides are highly toxic chemicals whose misuse may pose significant potential harm to human health or to the environment.
As part of its settlement with the EPA, Farm Services Cooperative has certified that it is presently in compliance with regulations for the sale of such chemicals.