AB 1042: Pesticide treated seed: labeling.

Existing law, the California Seed Law, regulates seed sold in California. The California Seed Law prohibits any person from shipping, delivering, transporting, or selling agricultural or vegetable seed that is treated after harvest with any substance that is likely to be poisonous or toxic to human beings or animals unless it is labeled with specified information, including the chemical or generic name of the treatment material, as provided. The California Seed Law requires, when more than one substance is applied to the seed, each substance applied to the seed to be noted on the label and the seed to be labeled for the substance with the higher level of toxicity.

This bill would additionally require, when more than one substance is applied to the seed, that the seed be labeled for each substance applied with the signal word for the substance with the highest level of toxicity. The bill would, beginning January 1, 2027, require that the label for seeds treated with certain substances and packaged on or after January 1, 2027, include each pesticides registration number from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, if applicable, and the quantity applied by weight or amount per seed.