Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Enrollment

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EPA Worker Protection Standard Update

May 9, 2018

wps

Written by: Sandra Menasha and Alice Wise

Originally published: Long Island Fruit and Vegetable Update, April 19th, 2018

The updated Worker Protection Standard took effect on January 2, 2017. The NYS DEC has the right to conduct inspections to certify that growers are in compliance with regulations for agricultural pesticides including organics. Inspections include WPS, record keeping, and pesticide storage. The website http://www.pesticideresources.... has WPS information, the How to Comply Manual, Worker and Handler Training Videos (English and Spanish), the new WPS Safety Poster and useful WPS checklists. Alternatively, contact the Department of Environmental Conservation or your local Cooperative Extension office with questions.

This is a basic WPS checklist. We highly recommend checking the relevant section in the WPS How to Comply Manual as there are many additional details.

1. All workers and handlers must receive annual training. Workers must be trained before they work in an area where a pesticide has been used or a restricted-entry interval (REI) has been in effect in the past 30 days. Handlers must be trained before performing any handler task.

2. Training of workers and handlers can only be conducted by a certified pesticide applicator, State/Tribal/Federal approved trainers, or a person who has completed an EPA approved train-the-trainer course.

3. Effective January 2018, training videos need to include the new content under the revised WPS. Videos (English and Spanish) can be found at www.pesticideresources.org. Keep records of all trainings for 2 years.

4. Check your central posting area and make sure it is easily seen, accessible and the information posted is legible. The central posting area must have safety information (e.g. revised WPS safety poster), pesticide application information and pesticide Safety Data Sheets (SDS). Under the revised WPS, there is a new safety poster with updated safety information. Updated safety posters can be downloaded and ordered at www.pesticideresources.org or ordered from Ag supply companies such as Gemplers.

5. Information required at the central posting location should also be displayed at permanent decontamination supply sites or at locations with 11 or more workers.

6. Pesticide application information and pesticide Safety Data Sheets (SDS) must be displayed at the central posting location within 24 hours of the end of the application and before workers enter the treated area. Display both for 30 days after the REI expires and keep on file for 2 years from the end of REI. SDS can be obtained from your pesticide supplier or from http://www.cdms.net/Label-Database.

7. Pesticide Application information for WPS at the central posting area must include:

  • crop treated, location and description of treated area(s),
  • product name, EPA registration no., active ingredient(s),
  • date and time pesticide application started and ended,
  • and the restricted-entry interval (REI).

8. A farm map is suggested for the central posting area so that workers can easily ID the location of all farm fields. Some growers use names (Main Road Chardonnay), some use numbers or letters (Field 2). The point being that if a DEC inspection occurs, your workers understand and are able to communicate the location of the applications and a farm map makes this easier.

9. Check decontamination kits and upgrade as necessary:

  • coveralls, soap and a stack of single use towels
  • provide at least 1 gallon per worker using the site or 3 gallons for each pesticide handler and each early entry worker.
  • one pint of water (eyewash) must be available to each handler applying pesticides if eye protection is required on the label. For tractor applications, the emergency eyewash water (1 pint) must be carried on the tractor. However, if the applicator gets off the tractor, the eyewash must be carried on their person. At mixing and loading sites, a system capable of delivering 0.4 gallons/minute for 15 minutes or 6 gallons of water to flow gently for 15 minutes must be provided for handlers using products requiring eye protection.
  • check expiration date on eye flushing.
  • decontamination kits must be within ¼ mile of all workers. Portable kits might be a better option for growers with a large operation.
  • make sure all your handlers and workers know where the decontamination sites are and what they contain.

10. The need for eye protection will be listed on the pesticide label in the box entitled "Agricultural Use Requirements", in the section listing PPE (personal protective equipment).

11. Refer to the "Agricultural Use Requirements" box on the pesticide label for a list of all required PPE. Make sure PPE is adequately stocked - chemical resistant suits, gloves, aprons, protective eyewear, boots, respirators and cartridges. Check unopened respirator cartridges for an expiration date.

12. Where respirators are required on the pesticide label, handlers must be medically cleared to wear a respirator, receive annual respirator fit-testing and training. Records of completion of respirator fit-test, training and medical clearance must be kept for 2 years. Note: Owners of the agricultural establishment and family members are not exempt from the respirator requirements under WPS.

  • respirators should be cleaned after each use and stored to protect them from damage, contamination and dust
  • opened cartridges should be stored in a re-sealable plastic bag when not in use.
13. Application Exclusion Zones (AEZ): There are several different requirements regarding the AEZ in the revised WPS. The size of an AEZ varies depending on the type of application and other factors, including droplet size, and height of nozzles above the planting medium. Refer to the How to Comply Manual to determine AEZ size.
  • Effective January 2, 2017, agricultural employers are to not allow any workers or other persons in the AEZ within the boundaries of the establishment un􀆟l the application is complete.
  • Effective January 2, 2018, handlers are to suspend the application if any workers or other persons are anywhere in the AEZ. This requirement is NOT limited to the boundaries of the establishment. This applies to any area on or off the establishment within the AEZ while the application is ongoing.

14. Start accumulating copies of pesticide labels. All applicators must have a copy of the label immediately accessible. Some growers deal with individual labels, some put together a notebook to be carried on the tractor. Having a copy of pesticide label on your smart phone is not acceptable.

15. When making an application, the applicator must have the following items immediately accessible:
  • a. Applicator's license
  • b. Labels for all materials being applied.
  • c. Appropriate PPE (see individual labels for what is required)

16. Tidy up your pesticide storage area. A disorganized, messy storage area is a red flag to an inspector. Pesticide storage guidelines can be found at http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/8871.html. 



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Upcoming Events

My Efficient Vineyard Demonstration - Champlain Valley

March 28, 2024 : My Efficient Vineyard Demonstration - Champlain Valley
Plattsburgh, NY

Join us at the Clinton County CCE office for an informative demonstration of My Efficient Vineyard. ENYCHP's viticulturist, Jeremy Schuster, will be happy to walk you through the app and show you how it can make your vineyard operations more efficient and effective. This event is free and doesn't require registration. We hope to see you there!

View My Efficient Vineyard Demonstration - Champlain Valley Details

Interested in taking the NYSDEC Pesticide Applicator's exam?

March 27, 2024
March 29, 2024
: Interested in taking the NYSDEC Pesticide Applicator's exam?

View Interested in taking the NYSDEC Pesticide Applicator's exam? Details

2024 Agritourism Webinar Series

January 9, 2024 : Agritourism For Maple Syrup Operations

The first agritourism webinar for 2024 will focus on Maple Syrup Operations.  


February 13, 2024 : Grants for Agritourism Operations

Are there grants that can help you support or grow your agritourism business?  Where do you look for funding?


March 12, 2024 : Staffing your Agritourism Business

Agritourism operations need employees who are good with the public.  Where can you find a labor force for your agritourism enterprise? What different laws and regulations might you encounter as an employer for an agritourism workforce? How do you get your employees hired and trained effectively? 


April 9, 2024 : Working with your local tourism office

Your local tourism office is an important resource for you to help advertise and promote your agritourism business.  Find out what they can do for you!

View 2024 Agritourism Webinar Series Details

Announcements

2023 Spotted Wing Drosophila Monitoring/Management

All berry farmers are watching for monitoring reports that indicate Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) adults are in their region. Mid-season berry crops should be sprayed as soon as berries begin to ripen unless you've elected to use insect exclusion netting.

- For general information about SWD, and to enroll for free monitoring reports, visit the Cornell SWD blog https://blogs.cornell.edu/swd1/.
- Click here for the 2023 Quick Guide for Pesticide Management. 
- For some great instructional videos and fact sheets on insect exclusion netting, visit the University of Vermont's Ag Engineering blog.


Resources from CCE ENYCHP!

We are developing new ways to connect with the CCE ENYCHP team this year! We have a Youtube page located at this link. Check out videos on Table Grape Production, Pest Updates and the 20 Minute Ag Manager - in 4 Minutes series

We have a Facebook Page here as well as an Instagram page. We keep these places updated with current projects, events, and other interesting articles and deadlines.

There are also text alerts available. Fruit and vegetable farmers in 17 Eastern NY counties can now receive real time alerts on high risk disease and pest outbreaks texted directly to their cell phone. The Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture program, which is supported by local Cornell Cooperative Extension associations, will now offer text alerts to those that enroll in our program in 2019. 

The text alerts will be reserved for important crop alerts that could impact management decisions immediately. For instance, if there were an outbreak of Late Blight in the area, this would be transmitted to vegetable growers.

Farmers can choose the crop for which they wish to receive updates. Additionally they can request that Ag Business Alerts be sent to them. These alerts might include due dates for crop insurance deadlines, market opportunities etc.

If you have questions, please contact enychp@cornell.edu


Podcasts

Winter Greens Grower Interviews in Northern New York

October 22, 2022
In this episode, vegetable specialist Elisabeth Hodgdon interviews Lindsey Pashow, ag business development and marketing specialist with the Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest New York team. They discuss findings from a series of interviews with winter greens producers in northern New York. Lindsey shares production and marketing challenges associated with growing winter greens in this cold and rural part of the state, success stories and advice from growers, and tips for those interested in adding new crop enterprises to their operation.

Funding for this project was provided by the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program. The episode was edited by Miles Todaro of the ENYCHP team.

Resources:
• Crop enterprise budget resources available from Penn State Extension (field and tunnel vegetables: https://extension.psu.edu/small-scale-field-grown-and-season-extension-budgets), UMass Extension (winter spinach budgets: https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/outreach-project/improving-production-yield-of-winter-greens-in-northeast and field vegetables: https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/fact-sheets/crop-production-budgets), and Cornell Cooperative Extension (high tunnel vegetables: https://blogs.cornell.edu/hightunnels/economics/sample-budgets-spreadsheets/). Use these budgets as templates when developing your own crop enterprise budget.
• The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook, by Richard Wiswall
• The Winter Harvest Handbook, by Eliot Coleman

For questions about the winter greens project discussed in this podcast, reach out to Lindsey Pashow (lep67@cornell.edu) or Elisabeth Hodgdon(eh528@cornell.edu).

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