Introduction to Worker Protection Standard
Katelyn Miller, Field Crops and Forage Specialist
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program
The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is a regulation originally issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992. It covers pesticides used in the production of agricultural plants on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses. The WPS requires employers (agricultural and commercial pesticide handlers) to provide specific information and protections to workers, handlers, and other persons when WPS labeled pesticide products are used in the production of agricultural plants. It's intended to reduce the risk of injury and illness resulting from pesticide exposures on agricultural establishments.
Based on the WPS How to Comply Manual, the WPS applies to you if:
Knowing if you fall under WPS is important, but there are also some definitions that are crucial to understanding when it applies.
Agricultural Plants are plants grown and maintained for commercial or research purposes. Examples include food, feed, fiber plants, seedlings, tress, etcetera.
A worker is anyone who is employed for compensation (including self-employed) and performs tasks like harvesting, pruning, weeding, or watering in the production of agricultural plants.
A handler is anyone who is employed for compensation (including self-employed). They perform tasks such as mixing, loading, or applying pesticides; assisting in pesticide applications; cleaning, repairing, or adjusting spray equipment, or acting as a flagger. A person is not a handler if they only handle pesticide containers that have never been opened or have been emptied and cleaned according to instructions on the pesticide product labeling.
A crop advisor is any person who assesses pest numbers, damage, pesticide distribution, or the status or requirements of agricultural plants.
Other Persons include nonworkers, family members, customers, government officials, and any bystanders.
To determine if you fall under the Worker Protection Standard, or need more information on how to comply, check out the WPS How to Comply Manual at https://www.pesticideresources.org/migrated/wps/htc/htcmanual.pdf, or contact your local DEC office.
DEC Region 8 Regional Headquarters in Avon: 585-226-2466
DEC Region 9 Regional Headquarters in Buffalo: 716-851-7200
WPS How to Comply Manual (pdf; 2415KB)
Upcoming Events
Cover Crop Breeding Field Walk
May 1, 2024
Freeville, NY
You're invited to join us for a Cover Crop Breeding Field Walk!
The Cover Crop Breeding Network breeds fall-sown cover crops for traits like fall emergence, winter survival, spring vigor, high biomass, hard seed, and non-shattering pods
Join us to walk the trial fields, talk about what we're seeing (and not seeing), hear about past years' results, and learn about CCB lines approaching commercialization.
Advanced line trials - Crimson clover, hairy vetch, winter pea, and winter canola
Planting date trials - Cereal rye and winter pea
Breeding nurseries - Cereal rye and winter pea (across the road & optional!)
Meat Your Farmer 2024
May 2, 2024 : Meat Your Farmer 2024
East Aurora, NY
This event brings together livestock farmers and the community to learn about local bulk meat sales and to taste recipes created for NYS schools, featuring meats from local farms. We are currently looking for farmers to participate in the event!
Western NY Value-Added Dairy Discussion Group: Jess May- Farm Credit East Webinar
May 2, 2024
We will start our Value-Added Dairy Processing discussion group series with a guest speaker from Farm Credit East. On May 2nd at noon, Jess May will join us to discuss the lender's point of view for on-farm processing and diversification. This is free to join and will be recorded.
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