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- The Texas Legislature in 1989 created the Agriculture Resources Protection Authority
to coordinate policies and programs of all Texas agencies related to the control of pesticides
- The Structural Pest Control Board
licenses applicators of pesticides used in and around homes and other buildings. It also oversees the integrated pest management program for public schools.
- The Texas Department of Agriculture
retains the primary responsibility over pesticide use in agriculture. It works with the Structural Pest Control Board to license applicators using registered pesticides. Training and licensing are requirements for commercial, noncommercial and private applicators because of the higher risk associated with the use of registered pesticides. The Department of Agriculture is also responsible for an organic food and fiber certification program and for aspects of the Integrated Pest Management program.
- The Texas Department of Health
regulates the use of pesticides for health purposes, including the control of mosquitoes. The department also regulates the use of pesticides in restaurants and for several other uses. Doctors are required to report pesticide-related illnesses to the department.
- Texas A&M University's Agricultural Experiment Station is involved with research efforts on major obstacles facing agricultural production. This includes studying the use of pesticides and alternatives to pesticides. Texas A&M University's Agricultural Extension Service receives much of its support for pesticide-use studies from the USDA, as part of its National Agricultural Pesticide Impact Assessment Program, which serves as the major education and outreach effort of the state to farmers, ranchers, and the public.
- The Texas Soil and Water Conservation Board
is the lead agency for oversight and monitoring of agricultural non-point-source pollution, including pesticide pollution. This agency also helps farmers with voluntary efforts to reduce non-point-source pollution.
- The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission
(TNRCC) regulates storage and disposal of pesticide waste and containers. This agency also coordinates the Texas program for identifying and responding to pesticides in groundwater and surface water.
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