National Pesticide Information Center

What are pests?

Pests are destructive or nuisance organisms (insects, weeds, bacteria, wildlife) that affect crops, food, livestock, health, etc.

What are pesticides?

According to the law, a pesticide is any substance "intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest."

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Please read our disclaimer | Contact us | About NPIC | En español

NPIC provides objective, science-based information about pesticides and pesticide-related topics to enable people to make informed decisions. NPIC is a cooperative agreement between Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (cooperative agreement #X8-83947901). The information in this publication does not in any way replace or supersede the restrictions, precautions, directions, or other information on the pesticide label or any other regulatory requirements, nor does it necessarily reflect the position of the U.S. EPA.