---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 136w–3"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "136w–3"
heading: "Identification of pests; cooperation with Department of Agriculture’s program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/136w-3"
units:
  - "Chapter 6 — Insecticides and Environmental Pesticide Control"
  - "Subchapter II — Environmental Pesticide Control"
---

# §136w–3. Identification of pests; cooperation with Department of Agriculture’s program

- (a) **In general—** The [Administrator](/usc/7/136.md?p=b), in coordination with the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture, shall identify those [pests](/usc/7/136.md?p=t) that must be brought under control. The [Administrator](/usc/7/136.md?p=b) shall also coordinate and cooperate with the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture’s research and implementation programs to develop and improve the safe use and effectiveness of chemical, biological, and alternative methods to combat and control [pests](/usc/7/136.md?p=t) that reduce the quality and economical production and distribution of agricultural products to domestic and foreign consumers.
- (b) **Pest control availability—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Administrator](/usc/7/136.md?p=b), in cooperation with the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture, shall identify—
    - (A) available methods of [pest](/usc/7/136.md?p=t) control by crop or [animal](/usc/7/136.md?p=d);
    - (B) minor [pest](/usc/7/136.md?p=t) control problems, both in minor crops and minor or localized problems in major crops; and
    - (C) factors limiting the availability of specific [pest](/usc/7/136.md?p=t) control methods, such as resistance to control methods and regulatory actions limiting the availability of control methods.
  - (2) **Report—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture shall, not later than 180 days after November 28, 1990, and annually thereafter, prepare a report and send the report to the [Administrator](/usc/7/136.md?p=b). The report shall—
    - (A) contain the information described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1);
    - (B) identify the crucial [pest](/usc/7/136.md?p=t) control needs where a shortage of control methods is indicated by the information described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1); and
    - (C) describe in detail research and extension efforts designed to address the needs identified in [subparagraph (B)](#b-2-B).
- (c) **Integrated pest management—** The [Administrator](/usc/7/136.md?p=b), in cooperation with the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture, shall develop approaches to the control of [pests](/usc/7/136.md?p=t) based on integrated [pest](/usc/7/136.md?p=t) management that respond to the needs of [producers](/usc/7/136.md?p=w), with a special emphasis on minor [pests](/usc/7/136.md?p=t).
- (d) **Public health pests—** The [Administrator](/usc/7/136.md?p=b), in coordination with the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture and the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Health and Human Services, shall identify [pests](/usc/7/136.md?p=t) of significant public health importance and, in coordination with the Public Health Service, develop and implement programs to improve and facilitate the safe and necessary use of chemical, biological, and other methods to combat and control such [pests](/usc/7/136.md?p=t) of public health importance.

## Source credit

(June 25, 1947, ch. 125, § 28, as added Pub. L. 95–396, § 24(2), Sept. 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 838; amended Pub. L. 101–624, title XIV, § 1495, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3629; Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, § 862(b)(1), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1174; Pub. L. 104–170, title II, § 236, Aug. 3, 1996, 110 Stat. 1509.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1996—Subsec. (b)(2)(A). Pub. L. 104–127 struck out “and the information required by section 5882 of this title” after “paragraph (1)”.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–170 added subsec. (d).

1990—Pub. L. 101–624 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsecs. (b) and (c).