§ 12881 Pesticide Misbranding Criteria

Food and Agricultural Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law says a pesticide is considered misbranded if its label or packaging lies or tricks people about what's inside, where it was made, or pretends to be something else.

Key Takeaways

•If the label says something false about the pesticide or its ingredients, it’s misbranded.
•Calling the pesticide made in a different place than it really is also makes it misbranded.
•Selling a pesticide as a copy of another product or using a name that isn’t its own is illegal.
•Any label that tries to trick the buyer is considered misbranding.

Example

A farmer buys a bottle of weed killer that says it contains a special ingredient to protect crops, but the ingredient isn’t actually in the mix.

Because the label says something false about the product’s contents, the pesticide is misbranded under this law.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 12881 Pesticide Misbranding Criteria

A pesticide is misbranded in any of the following cases: (a) The package or label bears any false or misleading statement, design, or device regarding the article or any ingredient or substance that is contained in it. (b) The package or label is falsely branded as to the place of manufacture or production of the pesticide. (c) It is an imitation of, or offered for sale under the name of, another article. (d) It is labeled or branded so as to deceive or mislead the purchaser. (Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 361, Sec. 68. Effective January 1, 1997.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

misbranded false or misleading statement place of manufacture imitation deceive or mislead

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 12881.

§ 12881 Pesticide Misbranding Criteria

Food and Agricultural Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

§ 12881 Pesticide Misbranding Criteria

This law says a pesticide is considered misbranded if its label or packaging lies or tricks people about what's inside, where it was made, or pretends to be something else.

Key Takeaways

•If the label says something false about the pesticide or its ingredients, it’s misbranded.
•Calling the pesticide made in a different place than it really is also makes it misbranded.
•Selling a pesticide as a copy of another product or using a name that isn’t its own is illegal.
•Any label that tries to trick the buyer is considered misbranding.

Example

A farmer buys a bottle of weed killer that says it contains a special ingredient to protect crops, but the ingredient isn’t actually in the mix.

Because the label says something false about the product’s contents, the pesticide is misbranded under this law.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 12881 Pesticide Misbranding Criteria

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

misbranded false or misleading statement place of manufacture imitation deceive or mislead

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 12881.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References