Logo courtesy of California Department of Pesticide Regulation  

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - The California Department of Pesticide Regulation has placed Tractor Supply Company on five years of probation following repeated violations of state pesticide sales and licensing laws at stores across California.

The probation, which takes effect Dec. 7, prohibits the retailer from selling restricted pesticide materials and requires quarterly sales reports to state regulators.

According to the department, inspections conducted by county agricultural commissioners in 32 counties between Jan. 1, 2023, and June 30, 2025, identified violations at 65 of the company's 99 California locations.

Violations included purchasing, selling and delivering restricted pesticide products without obtaining required permit, license or certification information. Several locations also sold pesticides without the required dealer license.

“California has strict pesticide regulations on the sale of restricted materials to protect human health and the environment,” said DPR Director Karen Morrison. “Tractor Supply Company has repeatedly disregarded these requirements and DPR is holding them accountable for their actions.”

The department's disciplinary action stems from violations involving restricted pesticide sales in Placer County and through the company's online store.

A separate review of company sales records from April 2022 through April 2026 identified 123 sales of unregistered pesticide products in California. Those transactions included 75 sales of restricted materials for which the company failed to obtain the purchasers' required permits.

A coalition of district attorneys from several California counties pursued a separate enforcement action that resolved most of the violations identified during county inspections.

“Californians deserve a marketplace where every seller plays by the rules,” Morrison said. “When companies cut corners, it puts our communities at risk and undermines businesses that follow the law.”

Under the probation agreement, Tractor Supply must comply with all applicable laws, stop selling restricted pesticide materials and submit quarterly sales reports to the department.

If the company violates the agreement, the department may suspend its California pesticide dealer licenses.

The probation period begins Dec. 7 and continues for five years.