
- Western Growers
- Hours: 8 am - 5 pm PT, M - F
- Phone: 1-949-863-1000
- Fax: 1-949-863-9028
- Email: info@wga.com
The revisions to the federal worker protection regulations for pesticides, the Worker Protection Standard (WPS), went into effect on January 2, 2017, as originally scheduled.
This follows the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) denial of a petition from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and American Farm Bureau to delay the January 2, 2017 implementation date.
Many employers already implement record keeping and training, similar to what is required by the new standard. However, as previously reported in Spotlight, there are a number of new obligations resulting from the rule.
EPA has released a “How to Comply” manual available here. Western Growers encourages members to carefully review the manual. Agricultural employers and handler employers must comply with most of the requirements of the final rule by January 2, 2017, while others go into effect on January 2, 2018.
Changes required as of January 2, 2017 include:
Changes required by January 2, 2018 include:
The rule also includes a controversial “designated representative” provision, which requires employers to make pesticide application and hazard information available to a person designated in writing by a worker or handler. Western Growers has concerns about the limits and intentions of this provision, though it is an improvement over the proposed rule that allowed written or oral designation of a representative.
In addition to the EPA “How to Comply” manual, states have services and training available to assist with compliance:
Previously, Western Growers released a fact sheet with information comparing the new standard to the old standard. EPA also made available a review and comparison of changes.
For more information, contact Ben Sacher at (202) 296-0191 ext 7301.
Farming has never been more challenging, which is why Western Growers invests in fully committed advocates – your advocates – in Sacramento, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. Only Western Growers offers members so many business services, supported by more than 400 dedicated employees.