# Appendix B

Small Business Advocacy Review Panel on

EPA Planned Revisions to

Two Related Rules:

Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural

Pesticides (RIN 2070-AJ22); and

Certification of Pesticide Applicators (RIN 2070-AJ20)

Comments from Potential Small Entity Representatives following

6/30/08 Outreach Meeting

and

Small Entity Representatives fo llowing 9/25/08 Outreach Meeting

November 3, 2008

### EPA conducted a pre-panel outr each meeting/teleconference w ith potential Small Entity

Representatives on June 30, 2008. The Panel re ceived seven sets of written comments,

which are presented below. The following is a list of potential SERs who submitted these

comments:

Ron Cline

Kenny Crenshaw

Frank Femling

John Hester

Jack Marlowe

Richard Matoian

Clint J. WebbComments by: Ron Cline, Cline Air Services, LLC - Aerial applicator

Questions for Potential Small Entity Representatives to help us estimate the impact

of potential new requirements the Agency is considering

Certification Rule

Adding certification categories for commercial applicators:

1. Does your state already have the four cate gories that the Agency is considering

adding? Washington does not have an Aerial Category.

2. If not, and you needed to be certified in one of these categories, what is your

estimate of the time it will take to trav el to the certification exam and take it? I

would support Washington State to addopt the Aerial Category and exam in hopes

that reciprocity would be granted to established business. I would like to be able

to bring in help in the event of a temporary increase in workload e.g. cereal leaf

beetle. In my opinion, reciprocity should only be granted to Pilots working for

established businesses.

Applicator minimum age:

1. Of those applicators that apply Restri cted Use Pesticides (RUPs) for your

business, or others you know of, what is the minimum or youngest age of those

applicators? This includes commercial applicators, private applicators, and

anyone applying RUPs under the superv ision of a commercial or private

applicator. A comercial pilots license requires a minimum age of 18.

2. If a minimum age for an applicator is imposed, how would that impact your type

of operation? The existing minimum age (18) would have no impact.

Applying RUPs under the supervision of Certified Applicators:

1. Do you, or others you know of, employ a pplicators that are not certified and that

apply RUPs under the supervision of a certified applicator? Not for Aerial.

2. If yes, how many? None.

3. With respect to the requirements for supervision by the certified applicator:

a. how close is supervisor to the application area?

b. does supervisor communicate with the a pplicator at the application site? How?

c. is training provided for non-certified applicators?

d. if a means of instant communication between supervisor and applicator were

required, how would you do it (for example, walkie talkie, cell phone). Would

this be an additional cost for your business?

Worker Protection Standard

Training: Deleted: ¶Comments by: Ron Cline, Cline Air Services, LLC - Aerial applicator

1. There is currently a 5 day grace period befo re workers have to be trained. If the

grace period were reduced or eliminated, what would be the cost to employers? I

think the 5 day grace period works. I have annual and recurrent training

depending on workers tasks. Business owners should have the flexibiltiy to

provide the training needed and not required. L&I, in WA, already has rules in

place to protect workers. Any additiona l requirements could place detrimental

liabilities on employers.

2. Currently, workers must be trained every 5 years. If this were reduced, would

you have to train more frequently, or do you already train every year because of

worker turnover, difficulty in verifying previous training, etc.? See above.

3. When workers are hired, can it be determined if they have been trained, or would

most just train them anyway? Every new hire needs training for company policy.

4. Who does your training (eg., you, hired pr ofessional trainer, extension service)?

5. Do you have a difficult time finding trainers? Owner or employee.

Restricted Entry Intervals (REI):

1. If you had to post in the field a standard warning notice (reusable sign, not

specific to the pesticide) for each application in each field:

a. how long would it take for each posting? Could now effectively implement this

for aerial without detrimental costs.

b. how many times would you have to post in a year, on average? Unknown.

c. How much time would it add if you had to record the name of the pesticide and

the expiration of the REI on the sign? Grower responsibility.

2. How many times per year do you utilize the exceptions to REIs, to allow early

entry? As an aerial applicator, I don’t go into fields after spraying.

Application entry restricted area:

1. What impact would the requirement of a no-entry zone around fields during

application have on you? None

Hazard Communication:

1. How do you know if your workers are following safety precautions related to

pesticide use such as using PPE properl y, and practicing post-exposure hygiene?

Observation.

2. How much burden would it be for you to maintain a file with each

pesticide MSDS and make them av ailable for workers upon request? None

3. If an MSDS for each pesticide used was required to be posted and available to all

at anytime, how much additional burden would it add? In my company, MSDS

sheets are available but not posted. Posting would only be done prior to an

inspection if required (sorry / )

Deleted: ¶

¶

### Comments by: Frank Femling, Afton Apple Orchard - Farm / apple

Subject: Response to WPS Changes

Certification Role:

Minnesota does not have the 4 categories, however, the DNR certifies for chemigation.

The time to travel and take the test is minimal, maybe 3 hours.

Competency:

Other than farm owner’s children, I think the child protection act sets the minimum age for

hazardous jobs at age 18. For farm owner’s children: They should be able to be certified at any

age, as soon as they can pass the required test. As for Commercial applicators: For their

children, maybe age 16 would be a compromise. My son passed certification at about age 16

for private certification. Establishing requirements for commercial applicators is a good thing in

the subcategories. The Private applicators test should have some closed

‐ book parts that they

should know but some open book parts (maybe on how to calibrate sprayer or other areas that

might only be used infrequently.)

Instant communication for applying RUP’s by non

‐ certified workers under supervision: We feel

it may need an exemption in some extreme remote areas where radios or cell phones wouldn’t

have instant communication capabilities available to them. In non

‐ remote areas, it is a cost,

but compared to other costs, we feel the safety factor for employees, if an accident happens, is

worth it. We feel it is a good business practice to have communication with just about

everyone, if something happens, the appropriate people can be notified immediately. Our

insurance company agrees. It helps keep negligence claims to a minimum. Age requirements

for applying RUP’s, under the supervision of a certified applicator, should be same as Private

applicators. Other than more rules and bureaucracy to follow, which no one likes, we don’t see

a problem with the other rule changes that are proposed.

To improve effectiveness of worker training:

Reducing the retraining period would have a minimal effect on most of our growers. Everyone I

talked to trains every year because of worker turn over. I don’t see a cost issue by eliminating

the grace period, but I feel that eliminating the grace period is a bad idea. The first day or two

on the job the new employee has to learn the job, fields, farm and many other things. I think by

waiting a few days before training, the worker retains more knowledge by not being so

overwhelmed the first few days. On our farm, my wife and son are the trainers. On the other

farms that I talked to, the owners or owner’s adult children were the trainers.

Improved protection for workers in REI’s:

Improving workers protection on REI is one of the most difficult areas of change. Our farm and

none of the other growers I spoke with have had to utilize the exceptions to REI’s. Posting

multiple signs is very time consuming, especially when trying to get multiple sprays on several

crops (small areas of one crop next to small areas of another crop.)

One grower suggested the following as an alternative to the posting of multiple signs:

Create a field restriction map at the worker check in point. Number the fields with highly visible

signs to match the field restriction map. The fields being sprayed would then be marked on the

map at the check in point as well as having a red flag in the REI field on the highly visible

number sign. The workers would be required to initial a form each day stating that they looked

at the map to see which field they could not enter. There could also be a color coded system

for different colored flags if necessary and the workers could all be trained not to enter these

flagged fields. Another idea would be to exempt the posting rules for small farms if all workers

### Comments by: Frank Femling, Afton Apple Orchard - Farm / apple

are certified applicators and are notified at the time of spraying. Posting multiple signs with

different REI will be a major time and economic hardship and I think it needs to be thought

through and discussed more before changing. We feel it is the supervisor’s job to keep workers

out of the fields that have REI’s and how to make the supervisors accountable needs to be

discussed.

There would be little impact of a requirement of a no

‐ entry zone around fields that are being

sprayed as long as the distance required is reasonable. We growers are doing that already, no

one wants to have spray drift onto employees.

It is always a burden to maintain files and have them available upon request. It is one more

thing to try to keep up to date that takes time from other things that need to be done. It will be

a major burden when the inspector shows up and you haven’t had the time to keep it up to

date for new products you are using. If implemented, a more reasonable notification process

or grace period would need to be put in place. Of all the growers I spoke with, none of them

has had an employee ask for a MSDS. I don’t know of many employees that know what a MSDS

is.

Requiring a shower and changing area for handlers would be a major burden on small growers

and I don’t think the employees would use it. I know I wouldn’t if I was an employee. I

wouldn’t use one now as an owner. I come home after spraying and leave my jeans and shirt

by the door to go in and wash and take a shower. My clothes are then properly laundered. We

realize the goal of this change is to minimize the exposure of chemicals at home. We feel that

it is best done by properly training the handlers on how to minimize chemical exposures at

home.

A lot of products sprayed do not require the use of a respirator while spraying. If the products

do require a respirator then we agree that the enclosed cab should be required to meet

filtering standards. If filtering standards cannot be met on the enclosed cab then a respirator

must to be used while in the enclosed cab.

Requiring medical monitoring and fit testing for all handlers would be a major burden on small

growers and should be discussed more in depth if it is going to be required. The costs involved

can be quite expensive for a small grower to sustain.

All of the growers that I spoke with want to emphasize that keeping the paperwork to a

minimum is a priority for us. Record keeping is one of our greatest burdens. We realize that

record keeping is necessary for the safe operation of the farm but we also only want what is

essential to keep workers safe.

Sincerely,

Frank Femling

Afton Apple Orchard

cfemling@aol.comComments by: John Hester, Nichols Agriservice L.L.C

‐ Agricultural ground applicator

1 

## June 30, 2008

‐ Pre

‐ Panel Outreach Meeting

E.P.A. Small Business Advocacy Review

Small Entity Representative Comments

My name is John Hester, owner/manager of Nichols Agriservice in Nichols, Iowa. Our business sells fertilizer

and pesticides to farmers including restricted use products. We also are a custom applicator and spray farmer’s corn

and soybean fields and includes RUP’s. We have 2 locations with 9 employees at each location. The following

comments are from the 1st outreach conference call meeting on June 30, 2008.

Applicator Certification Overview

When commercial and private applicator rules were first adopted by EPA for agriculture there was a vast

difference between the size and scope of the commercial applicator and the private applicator. The commercial

applicator is much safer and more technology focused today than he was back then, however, the private applicator

has grown substantially in acres and personnel involved as farm size has grown. In other words, the commercial

applicator was spraying most of the farm fields for the small, medium and many larger farmers who then farmed as

much as 1000 acres. Today there are large farmers who farm over 50,000 acres and some may even spray more RUP

acres than a commercial applicator.

My customers who prefer to apply their own products are required to sit through a 2 hour training session

once per 12 months after they have passed a test in their initial year. They are aware that a commercial applicator like

me has significantly more training, recordkeeping and enforcement than they do and do not want to be considered a

commercial applicator even though some spray for their neighboring farmer and use the barter system instead of a

charge per acre. Some of these folks are flying under the regulatory radar as a private applicator and some are using

untrained workers to apply pesticide products including RUP’s.

Commercial applicator rules and restricted use sales recordkeeping are very strictly enforced through our

state department of agriculture through a contract by the regional EPA office. The fines start at $5,000 and every year

many fines are imposed on commercial applicators or retailers who sell RUP’s to farmers who do not have a current

private applicator license. This enforcement action as well as the tremendous liability taken on by commercial

applicators are the primary reasons that the employees who operate sprayers are so well trained, paid and have at

their disposal all of the PPE needed for any job under almost any circumstances or levels of safety. Since the private

applicator has had so little enforcement and very little liability and since he is applying to his own acres, they do not

have the impetus to do any more than required to comply with rules.Comments by: John Hester, Nichols Agriservice L.L.C

‐ Agricultural ground applicator

2 

### SPECIFIC COMMENTS

Applicator Training

Commercial applicators spend countless hours training employees in the proper application, environmental

and safety issues involved in crop protection since professional application is what they do for a living and regardless

of regulation, these processes take place and in most cases the applicator, handler and trainer have more than 10

years experience.

Private applicators can be qualified and experienced, however, many times the farmer holding the license

gives the loading, handling and application to under

‐ qualified and poorly trained employees.

Since both commercial and private applicators are applying the same products, then the training should be

similar

Language barriers to safe application

This is very important and very simple. Safe and proper application requires that all people involved have the

ability to read and understand the labels, safety instructions and all other processes involved in crop protection. If

and English speaking person were to move to a foreign country and apply for work in crop protection, they would

have to understand their common language.

Age Requirements

It is my personal opinion that one cannot understand the concept of safe and accurate application until they

reach the age of 18. Some handling and mixing processes can be taught to younger people, however, age does bring

maturity and I would not hand off something as important as my crop protection jobs to a child. I might let them

sweep the floor but not anything else until they were 18.

Grace Periods

The seasonal nature of the crop protection business requires massive influx of temporary and new employees

to this business. Grace periods are necessary to get all the “ducks in order and to comply with the myriad of rules and

regs. Too often the application window may be over before a new employee could be brought into complete

compliance and some grace periods are necessary.

Communication

Although this subject was not specifically spelled out in the written materials it was discussed in the

conference call. There is no way that the person in charge can safely and correctly complete a spraying task when the

two parties are not within speaking distance without commercial radios or cell phones. I talk to my applicators

through both of these mediums at least 10

‐ 20 times per day even though they have more than 15 years experience

and are both certified commercial applicators as well as “Certified Crop Advisors” Instant and clear communication is

a must ruling out hand signals and yelling out to each other or returning to the base of operations for questions or

further instruction.Comments by: John Hester, Nichols Agriservice L.L.C

‐ Agricultural ground applicator

3 Cholinesterase Testing

Up until 15 years ago Cholinesterase Inhibitors were the primary insecticides applied to crops in the U.S.

Because of the danger and new, much safer, chemistry available now, few of these products are sold today.

Establishing base lines for these compounds in a workers blood stream is an absolute must to make testing at a time

of exposure accurate. This would be very time consuming and extremely expensive. An alternative would be

requirements for base line testing for those employees who apply these compounds on a regular basis for more than

30 days per year.

Personal protective Equipment

PPE is used on a regular basis by retailers and commercial applicators and even though we offer gloves and

goggles to our customers who apply for themselves as private, the gloves are used quite well but nothing else.

The requirement for full body protection such as Class A will never work and is not considered by most

applicators and handlers since the safety issue from heat stroke is of higher concern than the need for full protection.

We have not sprayed or sold any product in the last 10 years that would require any more than a respirator and over

90% require only gloves and long sleeve shirts with some calling for goggles

Beards of any type are a problem for those employees required to wear a mask and employers must deal with

this issue by requiring no beards if the PPE is deemed necessary.

Recordkeeping

This is certainly required and enforced with commercial applicators and those retailer's who sell RUP’s yet

there seems to be no enforcement with private applicators. Again, we are handling the same products and similar

requirements are necessary.

REI’s and Posting

Both are used and adding more regulation would be very costly and very difficult to enforce with very little

benefit. We must remember that most products sold and applied today and as much as 10 times safer than products

used when these laws went into effect.

In conclusion, we meet to discuss ways and means of further regulation because that’s what state and federal

agencies do naturally. Have we ever considered that products and processes used today are immensely safer to all

living species and the environment than the products we used at the time that these regulations began? I believe

that we should be focusing on this fact as much as the cost to comply or the need for strengthening current laws and

if we are going to have the same products used by both commercial and private applicators then all the rules should

be the same.

### Comments by: Jack Marlowe, Eden Advanced Pe st Technologies - St ructural pest control

Joe,

As requested, I am sending comments from the meeting in written form.

I am a Pest Management Company opera ting in Washington State. So my

comments are targeted to the certifica tion issue. In general, the proposed

changes already exist as state requirements so I do not see any extra

burden. I do believe that 18 is a good minimum age although I could see

some apprentice program where 16 would be allowed, although not to work

alone. I am in favor of certificati on standards as I believe they are

critical for not only worker and pub lic safety, environmental protection,

but also for the overall prof essionalism of our industry.

One suggestion, when requiring testing, there needs to be provisions for

continued review of the tests. Ma ny of our tests in Washington are

extremely outdated, referencing mate rials that are no longer legal and

methods that do not represent current practices so that the testing is a

necessary evil for new employees, but doe s not in any meaningful way prepare

them for the job. I am sure they did twenty years ago. When we confront

the state agency responsible, they sa y there isn't funding to go through the

process of developing new tests.

Hope that was helpful.

Jack Marlowe

Eden Advanced Pest Technologies

### Comments by: Richard Matoian, Mato ian Brothers - Farm / grape

July 14, 2008

Joe Hogue

US EPA/OPPTS (7506-P)

1200 Pennsylvania Ave N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20460

Dear Mr. Hogue;

As a member of the Small Entity Representa tive regarding the impact of potential new

requirements to the Agency regarding Ag Work er Protection Standards, I will respond to

both the PowerPoint presentation and the written questions that were presented to us. I

have the following thoughts:

From PowerPoint Slides:

I understand the need for additional traini ng for fumigation, chemigation and aerial

application, but don’t quite understand the need for compound 1080 and M-44. Those

baits do not pose a risk for human risk for application, whereas the other compounds have

a acute toxicity level that s hould require additional training.

Regarding minimum age, I would have to disagree with many of the Small Entity

Representatives (SER’s) that were on the conference call that di d not believe that a

minimum age should be established. I could forsee a large PR nightmare if a worker

were to get sick and it be determined that a 14 year old was responsib le for the sickness.

Rather, I believe a minimum age of between 16-18 should be established for commercial

applicators. I would also agree with the prescribed method for testing, as outlined.

However, regarding private applicators, I be lieve a minimum age of 16 is appropriate.

Regarding, ensuring competency of non-certif ied applicators applying Restricted Use

Pesticides (RUP) under the supe rvision of a certified applic ator, I agree with all the

proposed standards, but would want to see some leniency regarding possession of the

label. We are allowed to have the label w ithin a reasonable distan ce of the application

site, but not to be carried on the applicator’s person.

Regarding improving protections to workers from Restricted Entry Intervals (REI), oral

and written notification in my mind is not feasible. Y ou cannot foretell who will be

entering a given treated field, nor can you guard the field. Rather, posting for only

Restricted Use Pesticides, or other material s that may have a high dermal exposure makes

sense. In our table grapes, we can spray up 3 times per month for approximately a 4

month period, and during our gibrellic acid sp ray period, we are lite rally spraying every 4

days for about three weeks. Such oral and written notifications w ould take up to 1 hour

per each spray performed to notify every po ssible person that COULD enter that field

before the end of the REI. As a small business employer, I do not have the time to

inform in such a manner Rather, place th e requirement where it belongs, on Restricted

### Comments by: Richard Matoian, Mato ian Brothers - Farm / grape

Use Pesticides instead, and place a reasonable posting requi rement on that field....at the

very least on each possible entry point and on each corner.....no more than that.

Also requiring a shower and changing area s eems unreasonable. I do not have a shower

facility on my properties, but rather a metal shed, hoses and electricity. Placing a

requirement for a shower would be an undue re quirement for me and could cost me in the

tens of $1,000 for each ranch site that I have, especially those that do not have water or

electricity nearby. Rather, th e use of PPE for handlers, mi xer loaders would make more

sense. We give our handlers a Tyvek suit when they mix and load.

Cholinesterase testing restrict ions were not very clear. Therefore, it was somewhat

difficult to address. Regarding eliminating closed cabs.....this to me appears to be the

best protection against drift. If the issue is the filtration system, encourage the

manufacturers to develop new, better filters that provide some protection, or require some

filter overwrap that provides the needed protection, but please do not eliminate closed

cabs. It is the cheapest, quickest way to protect those who apply materials.

From Written questions:

Applying RUP’s under supervision: yes, a superv isor should be somewhat close, but I am

more concerned with the ability to comm unicate when there is a problem. Requiring

some form of communication, I believe, is more cost effective for small business, as most

if not all would have two-ways or cell phones. I do not think that w ould be an additional

burden or cost.

The current 5 day grace period and its elimination is not really a cost issue, but more of

timeliness issue. For me, the grace period allows me flexibility if I am busy on the first

couple of days to provide me more time to complete the training. Again, a small business

person is handling multiple tasks. Training ever y five years makes sense, but if there is

concern with this, then require a written doc ument showing that training has taken place

rather than increasing the frequency. Sp ecific, documented training should be for

Restricted Use Pesticides, not on all product us e. I am more concerned with appropriate

training where the need dictates rather than just traini ng for training sake.

I’ve already addressed posting, but to res pond to the written ques tion, posting could be

quite difficult and time consuming. In a gi ven year, I could spray my table grape

vineyard up to 15 times (herbicide, foliar sprays , pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers). As I

mentioned above, I could do 5-6 sprays within a three week period. Posting would take

up a very large chunk of my time. I would rath er post for RUP’s. The only time I expect

early reentry is for irrigation, which would be opening valves at the end of the row, for

about 1 hour per day over a 2 day irrigation peri od. Minimal contact with foliage occurs

during this time.

### Comments by: Richard Matoian, Mato ian Brothers - Farm / grape

A No-Entry zone around the field would have a disastrous impact upon us. We have

shared avenues with other producers, who ar e growing different crops, with different

spray schedules.....this is impossible to accept.

Regarding MSDS’s, unless you subscribe to a serv ice, it is very difficu lt to obtain them.

I have asked for them from my pesticide de aler, and they don’t always have them, and

trying to get them from the manufacturer is ve ry difficult for a small business. They just

don’t have the manpower to get us what we n eed and we don’t have th e clout (because of

our low volume purchasing) to get their attention.

I hope my comments have been helpful. Please let me know if I can answer and

questions.

Sincerely,

Richard Matoian

### Comments by: Clint J. Webb, Webb Farms - Farm / cotton

Clint J. Webb

Webb Farms

6430 Dixie-Barwick Rd.

Boston, GA 31626

Family farm: cotton, peanuts, corn, hay

Commercial Applicat or personal use only

One employee

June 30, 2008 Potential SER Outreach Meeting Follow up

Adding certification categories for commercial applicators:

Here in Georgia we already take two tests to become certified commercial applicators;

one is general pesticide safety and worker prot ection standards and the other is specific to

one of over 16 subcategories. The tests ar e proctored, closed book and only given at

approved locations and times around the state. This can sometimes limit when a person

may get certified, but it seems to be working fine today. I think th is is the appropriate

way to do it and any standardization on the na tional level would be an improvement.

Applicator minimum age:

I am not comfortable with the EPA establishi ng a generic minimum age for applicators. I

personally know forty year old men that ar e not capable of applying RUPs and also

twelve year olds that are fully capable a nd mature enough for the job. I personally started

applying RUPs as early as 12 or 13, and I know some around that will use guys 16 or

possibly younger. Speaking as a small family farm, we regularly use family labor that

may be young for such jobs. They have been familiar with such tasks and are supervised

by a licensed adult. Without the option for such labor, we would either have to rely only

on the certified applicators to do the work or be forced to hire additional help of an older

age. Both scenarios would add unnecessary expense to the operation and/or delay

pesticide applications which will result in yield reductions. I think the certified applicator

should be competent enough to determine if an individual is capable of safely applying

the chemical.

I also feel there should be no minimum age on who can receive a pesticide license;

whether private or commercial. The test should be of the calib er to address that concern.

If one is capable of learning and understanding the concepts on the written test then they

should be given the rights that come with th at knowledge. If I am working a 12 or 15 or

25 year old employee, I would much rather they go take the private a pplicator test and be

certified than they simply be under my supe rvision just because th ey have not crossed

some arbitrary age threshold. I feel that in preparing for that test they will undoubtedly

pick up important information on how to react to a situation that I may have overlooked

because it is second nature to me as an experienced applicator.

### Comments by: Clint J. Webb, Webb Farms - Farm / cotton

Applying RUPs under the supervision of Certified Applicators:

I have one employee that is not a certified applicator. He works under my supervision and

that of my dad, who is a private applicator. This employee has been with us for 23 years

and is perhaps more familiar with pesticid es that many recently passing the test. There

are many farmers in the area that have a pplicators working under supervision. These

employees are trained typically by the supervising applicator. I think there is no reason a

licensed applicator cannot do the training. I do not have a pr oblem with a more specific

training program. It would be good to have a clear set of crit eria that should be covered

when doing employee training, but it should be done in house. I do not feel that it is

necessary to carry employees off farm or bri ng in additional staff fo r training. That again

adds expense to the operation.

Supervisors often range from being in the field with the applicator, perhaps on

another piece of equipment, to being in th e area, often checking in regularly as they

manage multiple workers in different area. Having a means of instant communications is

a great idea. Those that have two-way radios and cell phones certainly have an advantage,

but it seems to be an overreach to require su ch devices. Such issues that may come up

and need communications should be handled in the training. I understand that things

happen, but a well trained employee should have been told ahead how to deal with

situations like spills or contamination. We have some cell phones and some radios, but

we are not covered in all areas at all times. I like to be in communication with my help,

but there are times and equipment that is not currently possible. To make it so would be

an added expense of several hundred if not t housands of dollars in equipment and future

subscriptions.

Worker Protection Standard

Training:

Properly training employees is very important to both their safety as well the functioning

of the company. It is important that they be trained thoroughly and promptly. However,

the current grace period is essential to allo w time for new employee training. I find it

basically impossible to verify training so any new employee undergoes training, but it

really helps to have the fl exibility to know it can be wo rked around our busy schedules

rather than having to stop some vital task to perform the training. That is especially true

since I do my own training. As I said earlier , I think the training criteria should be

clarified and would even like to see a consis tent, concise training ma nual so that I know I

have covered everything necessary.

I do not agree with shortening the retraini ng interval. In Georgia, my license has

to be renewed every 5 years. If that is e nough for a commercial applicators license then it

is enough for worker training. We have no turn over, I know several that have very low if

any turnover; I would hate to see regulation geared toward hi gh turnover operations that

simply puts us going over the same ground time after time. Each employer will have to

do new training as his labor situation demands , but to retrain current employees more

often than 5 years is simply unnecessary.

### Comments by: Clint J. Webb, Webb Farms - Farm / cotton

Restricted Entry Intervals (REI):

Here in Georgia we currently have to pos t a warning sign after applying RUPs. The sign

is a standard written and pict orial sign issuing a warning of danger to stay out. They are

to be posted for the duration of the REI. Pu tting the signs up as you l eave the field is not

a great burden, however, keeping track of different fields and times so they are not left up

unnecessarily can be time consuming. We only ha ve to place the signs at the entry to the

field. Currently dealing only with RUPs, for crops like cotton or peanuts we will typically

have to post a field five times a year. Propos als to require posting on all pesticides having

an REI would dramatically increase that num ber to as much as 30 or 40 for crops like

cotton. The task of keeping up with posti ng time and expiration times would be

tremendous. For our small operation, only about 500 acres in cotton, it could take one

person up to one hour each day just riding and updating posting signs. Add to that the

cost of the gas and the vehicle and you just spent $25 a day in added costs all the while

that worker is not doing so me other important task.

There are two concerns with having to add the chemical name and REI expiration

to the sign. One, the signs become consum able rather than reusable because the

chemicals and times change with each posting. Two, with the chemical name present, you

open the sigh to interpretation by employees ra ther than it standing alone as clearly “do

not enter”.

The signs we currently use displa y a red octagon and a man with a hand

indicating stop. These symbols work to convey the information of restricted access. Other

suggestions such as the skull and crossbones would be much less effective as they do not

simply say stay out but rather convey a me ssage of impending danger; which is not the

case with these pesticides so long as the REI is honored.

We discussed guidelines for posting signs in fields. I firmly believe it is only

necessary to post such signs at logical points of entry. There is no reason to have to place

signs along perimeters or other configurati ons around a field. The signs are there to

inform authorized personnel and chance entrants of the dangers in th e field; we are not

trying to barricade the field with them. Pos tings in general, but especially any such

regulation would have added effect on small farmers. Typically as farm size decreases

average field size decreases. Under either scen ario, the small farmer will have to put out

more signs and spend more time per acre than a larger farm.

For example, on 500 acres with average fi eld size of 30 acres, I would have to

post 17 signs just at entrances. Add perimete r signage and you can increase that number

by 10 to 100 fold. By comparison, take a farmer with 5000 acres of cotton with an

average field size of 250 acres, he will post 20 signs, but each sign will cover three times

as many acres as the small farmer. Also, in the case of perimeter postings, the larger the

field, the fewer perimeter feet per acre equaling fewer signs per treated acre. It just begins

to spiral into unbearable demands of time and manpower.

We rarely need to send in workers ea rlier than the labeled REI. Under such

situations it is important to communicate with the workers that they understand the

proper protections to take. Ther e is no reason such communications must be in writing.

The workers should be verbally informed a bout the restrictions and dangers posed by

entry. Careful records should be kept of wo rkers entering those areas in the event of

adverse effects from exposure.

### Comments by: Clint J. Webb, Webb Farms - Farm / cotton

Application entry restricted area:

We currently have a policy of not applying pe sticides with people in the immediate area

of the application. There are times that it is ne cessary for a worker to be in the area. We

have several fields with residential ho mes around them. We main tain a good working

relationship with these people a nd inform them of the dangers of the pesticide we use.

With that said, I feel that a no-entry zone for fields and forests is not possible like that of

a contained structure like say a greenhouse. It is not practic al for farmers or homeowners

to force their yard into a no entry zone for an extended period of time. As for workers, it

is important that they stay out of harms way during pesticide applications.

Hazard Communication:

We discuss proper PPE use and cleanup regularly with staff. We monitor their use of

such equipment both visually and verbally to en sure their safety. We make every effort to

provide adequate eye flush water and rinse wa ter at mixing sites. The problem with many

farms is that we have to be mobile. There may be one central shop or office, but for a

farm to be productive the workers are rarely there and even fewer pesticides are used

from there. Decontamination equipment such as soap, towels, and eye flush is kept in the

mix wagon for applicators, but is not efficien t or necessary to have an excessive amount

of it or to mandate a shower system for every operation.

I feel a restriction on the amount of time handlers are allowed to work with OP

and Carbamates is unnecessary. Following approved label PPE should adequately protect

workers for these compounds. If that is not enough protections then the label should be

altered so that it will. If ther e is a limit imposed we could run into a situation of having to

delay pesticide applications th at could reduce crop yields. On the same line, if a label

establishes that an enclosed cab will replace a respirator then let it. If the enclosed cab is

not adequate protection, then w hy were we allowed to use them in the first place? Such

enclosed cabs should be maintained a nd routinely inspecte d with appropriate

recordkeeping, just as respirators or any other piece of PPE should be. I firmly support

safety, but there is no need to have duplication.

Requiring that MSDS be kept for all chemicals used will add many hours of time

spent finding and printing sheets just to be pl aced in a file. You will have the added space

necessary to keep the file. I would much rather have a database online where anyone

could go at anytime to look up MSDS by chem ical name. That way everyone will have

them readily accessible without having to de vote time and space to keeping up with them

on every farm.

### SER Written Comments: SBAR Panel

Worker Protection Standard fo r Agricultural Pesticides and

Certification of Pesticide Applicators

following September 25, 2008 Outreach Meeting

Name Industry/Sector Location

Berglund, Dennis Crop advisor Twin Valley, MN

Elmstrand, Rod Farm / berry North Branch, MN

Hester, John Agricultural gr ound applicator Nichols, IA

Reed, Rick Aerial appl icator Mattoon, IL

Webb, Clint J. Farm / cotton Boston, GA

Wegmeyer, Tyler Farm / American Farm Bureau Federation Washington, DC

Wright, Morgan Wood treatment Warsaw, VA"Dennis Berglund"

<dennisb@tvutel.com>

10/09/2008 03:21 PM To Caryn Muellerleile/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

cc "Al Averitt" <aaveritt@earthlink.net>, "Jim Steffel"

<Jim@LABServices.com>, "Allison Jones \(Allison Jones\)"

<JonesNAICC@aol.com>

bcc

Subject RE: Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides

and Certification of Pesticide Applicators - Small Business

Advocacy Review Panel Outreach Meeting Invitation and

Materials for Small Entity Representatives

Caryn,

I have attached 2 documents.

The "Final SER Comments to EPA 10-9-08.pdf" contains the joint comments from

Al Averitt and Dennis Berglund.

The "NAICC Monitoring Profiles Report.pdf" is a report that NAICC gave to

the EPA in 2005, and we referred to it in our comments, so I have included

it in this e-mail.

Thank-you!

Dennis Berglund

Centrol Crop Consulting

Cell: 800-630-6848 or 218-766-6848

Office: 218-584-8562

Home: 218-584-8562

-----Original Message-----

From: Muellerleile.Caryn@epamail.epa.gov

[mailto:Muellerleile.Caryn@epamail.epa.gov]

Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2008 10:30 AM

To: Dennis Berglund

Subject: RE: Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides and

Certification of Pesticide Applicators - Small Business Advocacy Review

Panel Outreach Meeting Invitation and Materials for Small Entity

Representatives

Hello Mr. Berglund,

Yes, this email address would be great. Please send your comments as late

today as you need.

thanks,

Caryn

Caryn Muellerleile

Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (1806A) Washington, DC 20460

Phone: (202) 564-2855

Fax: (202) 564-0965

muellerleile.caryn@epa.gov"Dennis

Berglund"

<dennisb@tvutel. To

com> Caryn

Muellerleile/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

10/09/2008 11:28 cc

AM

Subject

RE: Worker Protection Standard

for Agricultural Pesticides and

Certification of Pesticide

Applicators - Small Business

Advocacy Review Panel Outreach

Meeting Invitation and Materials

for Small Entity Representatives

Caryn,

I am a Small Entity Representative and I am planning on sending my comments

in today....

Can I send them to you at this e-mail address?

Thanks!

Dennis Berglund

Centrol Crop Consulting

Cell: 800-630-6848 or 218-766-6848

Office: 218-584-8562

Home: 218-584-8562

-----Original Message-----

From: Muellerleile.Caryn@epamail.epa.gov

[mailto:Muellerleile.Caryn@epamail.epa.gov]

Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:06 PM

To: cvh@centralvalleyheli.com; reedfly@ aol.com; jhester@nicholsag.com;

bilihun@spraytec.com; aaveritt@earthlink.net; dennisb@tvutel.com;

cfemling@aol.com; elmst002@umn .edu; webbfarm@netzero.net;

rmatoian@westernpistachio.org; dasherfarm@alltel.net;

rmetzler@pearsonrealty.com; whjjr30@aol.com; tylerw@fb.org;

richard@arbor-nomics.com; kcrenshaw@herbi-systems.com;

lonniealonso@ColumbusPestControlinc.com; anne@royalpest.com;

bruce@csipest.com; jackmarlowe@edenpest.com; mwright@woodpreservers.com

Cc: Hogue.Joe@epamail.epa.gov

Subject: Re: Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides and

Certification of Pesticide Applicators - Small Business Advocacy Review

Panel Outreach Meeting Invitation and Materials for Small Entity

Representatives

Dear Small Entity Representative,

In preparation for this Thursday's meeting, I'm attaching a draft agenda.Please let me know if you do not receive this attachment or have no t

received any of the others listed below.

Caryn Muellerleile

Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (1806A) Washington, DC 20460

Phone: (202) 564-2855

Fax: (202) 564-0965

muellerleile.caryn@epa.gov

(See attached file: Draft Agenda 9-25-08.pdf)

Caryn

Muellerleile/DC/

USEPA/US

09/12/2008 11:05

AM

Dear Small Entity Representative (SER):

Please see the attachments below for the Worker Protection Standard for

Agricultural Pesticides and Certification of Pesticide Applicators Rules.

The first attachment is a letter

(Panel_SER_coverletter_20080912.pdf) from Alex Cristofaro, the Chair of the

Small Business Advocacy Review Panel, to all of you who are Small Entity

Representatives (SERs). The other attachments are supplemental information

(outreach material) referred to in the letter from the Chair.

Specifically,

the attachments to the letter are:

(1) PowerPoint Presentation "Revisions to Two Related Rules: Worker

Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides and Certification of

Pesticide Applicators" (SER panel outreach mtg presentation.ppt)

(2) Questions for Small Entity Representatives - Small Business Advocacy

Review Panel on Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides; and

Certification of of Pesticide Applicators (SER questions.pdf)

(3) List of SERs (SER List OPP 2008.pdf)

The Panel looks forward to your participation in the September 25, 2008

outreach meeting and conference call from 1:00 - 3:00 EDT. The toll-free

number for the meeting is 866-299-3188; the conference code is 202-564-6559,

which is entered after the operator asks for the conference code.

You may join in the meeting via conference call or in-person in Washington,

DC. Please see the cover letter and enclosures for more

details. As the cover letter states, the SBAR Panel requests your

written comments by close of business October 9, 2008.

If you need a paper copy of the attached information, contact me via e-mail

(muellerleile.caryn@epa.gov) or telephone (202-564-2855).Caryn Muellerleile

Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (1806A) Washington, DC 20460

Phone: (202) 564-2855

Fax: (202) 564-0965

muellerleile.caryn@epa.gov

[attachment "Panel_SER_coverletter_20080912.pdf" deleted by Caryn

Muellerleile/DC/USEPA/US] [attachment "SER panel outreach mtg

presentation.ppt" deleted by Caryn Muellerleile/DC/USEPA/US] [attachment

"SER questions.pdf" deleted by Caryn Muellerleile/DC/USEPA/US] [attachment

"SER List OPP 2008.pdf" deleted by Caryn Muellerleile/DC/USEPA/US]

No virus found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com

Version: 8.0.173 / Virus Database: 270.7.6/1714 - Release Date: 10/9/2008

9:44 AM

### Comments to the Small Business Advocacy Review Pane l on

Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pestici des and

Certification of Pesticide Applicators

Dear EPA:

Al Averitt and Dennis Berglund are sending these co mments together as Crop Consultants and Small

Entity Representatives.

Al Averitt is the current Chairman of the Governmen tal Affairs Committee for the National Alliance of

Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC). Dennis Berglu nd is the Past-Chairman of that committee and

currently sits on the committee.

Our main concern in making these comments is that w e are able to retain our WPS exemption for

Certified Crop Consultants and our direct employees

.

First, an introduction to the WPS exemption for Cer tified Crop Consultants.

In 1995, EPA granted Certified Crop Consultants, an d their direct employees, an exemption from certain

portions of the Worker Protection Standards (WPS).

This exemption allows Certified Crop Consultants to use their discretion concerning the appropriate le vel

of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that is need ed.

Both EPA and USDA helped the Crop Consultants obtai n this WPS exemption, and it is important that

they help minimize any erosion to this WPS exemptio n.

The current situation:

1. In order for Certified Consultants to carry out Integrated Pest Management (IPM), they must be

able to enter the field in a timely manner.

2. Fields are not commonly entered when a Re-Entry Interval (REI) is in effect.

3. The WPS exemption allows Certified Consultants t o use their education and experience to decide

how to protect themselves, when an REI is in effect

. 4. The Consultant’s ability to implement IPM in a g rower’s field will be reduced if he/she cannot

enter the field during an REI, without being “suite d up” in PPE.

5. We need to reserve the right to enter the field, according to our WPS exemption, in order to

efficiently carry out our IPM duties.

6. According to the Crop Monitoring Profiles that w e have provided EPA, the exposure from scouting

is very low.

There are several “scouting scenarios”:

1. If the field has recently been sprayed, then mos t consultants and employees will not enter the

field.

2. If they do enter the field, with an REI in effec t, it is usually “a field here and a field there”, rather

than “field after field”.

3. If the field was sprayed “today”, then the spray has not had time to work, and it is probably not

necessary to check the field.

4. If the field was sprayed “yesterday”, then the f ollow-up visit (when an REI is in effect) is often a

cursory, quick look at the field, to check for effi cacy, rather than an extensive field visit.

5. There can also be some “Incidental entry”, where a consultant enters the field, realizes that it wa s

recently sprayed, and then leaves the field without delay.

### In 2004, we provided the NAICC Crop Monitoring Prof iles to help EPA make informed decisions on the

impact of WPS on consultants. A copy of that report has also been provided to this panel.

NAICC is comprised of Professional Crop Consultants and Professional Research Consultants. These

consultants make their living by helping farmers an d companies make better decisions by implementing

Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

NAICC Policy Statement Concerning Employees of Cert ified Agricultural Professionals

Regarding the EPA Worker Protection Standard (WPS), The National Alliance of Independent Crop

Consultants (NAICC) believes the exemption to certa in portions of the WPS, which was granted by EPA

in 1995 to qualified crop consultants, and their di rect employees places responsibility on all exempte d

certified consultants to:

 Pursue additional continuing education on all matt ers relating to pesticide safety procedures

 Routinely conduct pesticide safety training for al l employees covered by the NAICC WPS

exemption

 Consider that such training should include informa tion regarding appropriate personal protective

equipments (PPE), appropriate clothing and the care and handling of same.

 Closely evaluate what are appropriate ages of curr ent and prospective employees who will be

engaging in tasks covered by the WPS exemption, suc h that these employees are able to bring

sufficient knowledge and awareness to their respect ive duties.

 Refrain from directing employees into tasks that d iffer substantially, temporally or spatially from

that of the consultant so as to avoid any inadverte nt reduction in safety-related practices or

procedures.

 The NAICC encourages all qualified consultants to adhere to these practices. Further, NAICC

pledges to work with EPA to disseminate information al materials to consultant members through

electronic media and printed materials.

___________________________________________________ ______________________________

The comments that follow are our answers to the wri tten questions that were sent out. We followed the

order of the written questions, even though the num bers may not exactly match the original questions.

We did not comment on the questions under “Applicat or Certification Rule (Restricted Use Pesticides)”

as we think that there will be good comments from o ther SER members concerning that.

General

1) We think that it would be helpful for small busi ness to have some flexibility in complying with

requirements. But, if the goal is to reduce risk, t hen the requirements should be general enough that

they can be applied to protect the employees of sma ll entities, as well as larger businesses.

Worker Protection Standard (Workers and handlers in plant agriculture)

Training:

1) If the current 5-day grace period for training w as reduced or eliminated, then we would need to

speed up the training, but the actual time required would be similar. In other words, it would be a li ttle

more hassle, but not much more cost.

2) We normally do WPS training every year, but if t he WPS training interval were reduced from every 5

years to every year, then it would increase the tim e and effort expended by some entities by 4-5

times.

3) We typically train our employees, even if they h ave been trained previously.

4) We do our WPS and Safety training internally.

5) We would have a difficult time finding qualified trainers, if outside trainers were required.

6) We estimate that a training session for workers would take 30-60 minutes.

### 7) We estimate that a training session for handlers would take 45-60 minutes.

8) Our training materials are obtained through vide tapes, videos on the internet, and the extension

service. The actual cost is fairly minimal.

9) The EPA estimate of 6 minutes per training sessi on to keep training records of who received

pesticide safety training seems short. It’s tough t o do anything that quickly, and we think that it wo uld

take at least 30 minutes.

10) We do not supply any of our employees with WPS or Safety training cards

11) We were not aware of any federally funded train ing resources.

Restricted Entry Intervals (REI):

1) We estimate that it would take 30 minutes to pos t a single REI warning notice (reusable sign, not

specific to the pesticide) at the usual point of en try.

2) We estimate that it would take at least 1 hour t o post 4 signs at the corners.

3) In Minnesota, most growers have 20-40 fields, an d spray 3-5 times, so our average grower would

have over 100 to 200 postings per year.

4) In North Carolina, most growers have 50-200 fiel ds, so some growers would require more than 1,000

postings, possibly requiring a full-time employee t o do the posting.

5) The EPA estimate that recording pesticide name a nd REI expiration would add 30 minutes per field

sounds about right, but the record-keeping would be tough.

6) If we consider the number of fields in North Car olina and estimate that it would take 1 employee to

do the posting, then we have a concern.

a) What about that employee’s exposure, especially if they have to walk the perimeter of the field.

b) Could the posting occur just prior to the applic ation?

c) If the posting was done prior to applications, t hen the posting requirements might postpone timely

applications.

7) As Crop Consultants, we talk to our employees of ten about not going into fields that have recently

been sprayed. We also try to schedule field visits outside the REI, usually by 3-4 days.

8) How many times per year do you utilize the excep tions to REIs, to allow early entry?

a) We are crop consultants.

i) We do not apply or handle any products, so we do not have exposure to concentrated product

or spray solutions.

ii) We normally wear boots, long pants, short- or l ong-sleeved shirts and a cap, which already

fulfill many PPE requirements.

iii) Our efforts to help the grower implement IPM s hould not be restricted

iv) It is important to realize that most of the con tact that we have with pesticide residues is with

the dried residues, is incidental and very limited.

v) Our employees do not stay in a sprayed field and work for 8 hours per day, like a worker might

do when hand-harvesting.

vi) Our employees are instructed to leave the field if they notice that it was recently sprayed.

b) We would like to keep the WPS exemption for Cert ified Crop Consultants and Research

Consultants

i) We would also like to keep the WPS exemption for EMPLOYEES of Certified Crop

Consultants and Research Consultants.

ii) There has been some discussion at EPA about res tricting the WPS exemption for employees

of Certified Crop Consultants

(1) EPA has indicated that they are not too worried about the Certified Crop Consultant being

able to decide for themselves, but is concerned wit h the employee being able to make that

decision.

(a) If there is some employee training that would h elp lessen these fears that the EPA has,

then we should be able to find a way to document it . (such as occupational training,

safety training, WPS training, etc)

### (2) The NAICC has had numerous discussions with EPA concerning our WPS exemption and

appreciates the ability to work with EPA to find a way to meet the goals of WPS while

effectively implementing IPM at the grower level.

c) If we can’t keep the full exemption for EMPLOYEE S, then it could possibly be modified to allow

for “incidental exposure”.

i) This “incidental exposure” would mean that they would not enter the field at all if it was being

sprayed and would leave the field WITHOUT DELAY (wi thin 5-10 minutes?) if they noticed

that it was recently sprayed and that it could be w ithin the REI.

ii) We would continue to give our employees Safety training along with WPS and IPM training.

d) Revoking the Certified Crop Consultant’s WPS exe mption would be burdensome.

i) If we need to suit up in PPE in order to make a quick check, it would be burdensome.

ii) We conservatively estimate that revoking our WP S exemption would cost a crop consultant at

least:

(1) $1,000-$3,000 per year, in unnecessary expenses , plus

(2) $1,000-$3,000 per year, in inefficiencies, for a (3) Total of $2,000-$6,000/ year

iii) There could also be health issues with heat an d humidity, etc, when requiring PPE, when it is

not necessary.

Application entry restricted area:

1) A no-entry zone of 25 to 100 feet around the fie ld during application would not have much effect on

us, as we do not enter the fields during applicatio n. We sometimes help the grower adjust the planter

and have a concern if there would be an REI, if wor king behind the planter.

Hazard Communication:

1) We reinforce hygiene and safety to our employees often, but do not have a good way to monitor

compliance. We normally wear boots, long pants, sho rt- or long-sleeved shirts and a cap. We also

sometimes wear gloves, for various reasons, such as cold temperatures, or to reduce transfer of

disease to other fields.

2) Maintaining a file with each pesticide MSDS woul d take a significant amount of time, effort and

management, and would be difficult and burdensome. While it would not cost that much in actual

dollars, it would be costly in time and management.

3) Posting an MSDS for each pesticide that was used would take a lot of time, effort and management

and would be very burdensome.

Decontamination:

1) We have a shower at our office for the employees , but it is not used much.

2) We are usually mobile, in pickups, on foot, or o n ATVs and I don’t know how we could provide a

decontamination shower.

3) Requiring safety posters at the decontamination site in addition to the central display should not cost

very much.

Sincerely, Sincerely,

Al Averitt Dennis Berglund

Crop Consultant Crop Consultant

Small Entity Representative Small Entity Represe ntative

Chair, NAICC Governmental Affairs Committee Member , NAICC Governmental Affairs Committee

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 1 T h i s R e p o r t o f t h e M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s T a s k F o r c e h a s 8 S e c t i o n s :

1

. E x e c u t i v e S u m m a r y

2

. I n t r o d u c t i o n

3

. B a c k g r o u n d

4

. D a t a M a t r i x

5

. C r o p N a r r a t i v e s

6

. N A I C C E m p l o y e e S t a t e m e n t

7

. S u m m a r y

8

. A p p e n d i x



## E x e c u t i v e S u m m a r y

I n 1 9 9 5

, E P A g r a n t e d C e r t i f i e d C r o p C o n s u l t a n t s

, a n d t h e i r d i r e c t e m p l o y e e s

, a n e x e m p t i o n f r o m c e r t a i n

p o r t i o n s o f t h e W o r k e r P r o t e c t i o n S t a n d a r d s ( W P S )

. T h i s e x e m p t i o n a l l o w s C e r t i f i e d C r o p C o n s u l t a n t s t o

u s e t h e i r d i s c r e t i o n c o n c e r n i n g t h e a p p r o p r i a t e l e v e l o f P e r s o n a l P r o t e c t i v e E q u i p m e n t ( P P E ) t h a t i s n e e d e d

.

E P A a n d U S D A h e l p e d C r o p C o n s u l t a n t s o b t a i n t h i s W P S e x e m p t i o n

, a n d i t i s i m p o r t a n t t h a t t h e y h e l p

m i n i m i z e a n y e r o s i o n t o t h i s W P S e x e m p t i o n

.

T h e c u r r e n t s i t u a t i o n :

1

. I n o r d e r f

o r C e r t i f i e d C o n s u l t a n t s t o c a r r y o u t I n t e g r a t e d P e s t M a n a g e m e n t ( I P M )

, t h e y m u s t b e a b l e

t o e n t e r t h e f

i e l d i n a t i m e l y m a n n e r

. 2

. F i e l d s a r e n o t c o m m o n l y e n t e r e d w h e n a R e

- E n t r y I n t e r v a l ( R E I ) i s i n e f f e c t

. 3

. C e r t i f i e d C o n s u l t a n t s a r e a l l o w e d t o u s e t h e i r e d u c a t i o n a n d e x p e r i e n c e t o d e c i d e h o w t o p r o t e c t

t h e m s e l v e s

, w h e n a n R E I i s i n e f f e c t

. 4

. T h e C o n s u l t a n t ’ s a b i l i t y t o i m p l e m e n t I P M i n a g r o w e r ’ s f i e l d w i l l b e r e d u c e d i f h e / s h e c a n n o t e n t e r

t h e f i e l d d u r i n g a n R E I

, w i t h o u t b e i n g “ s u i t e d u p ” i n P P E

.

S c e n a r i o s :

1

. I f t h e f

i e l d h a s r e c e n t l y b e e n s p r a y e d

, t h e n m o s t c o n s u l t a n t s a n d e m p l o y e e s

, w i l l n o t e n t e r t h e f i e l d

. 2

. I f t h e y d o e n t e r t h e f

i e l d

, i t i s u s u a l l y “ a f

i e l d h e r e a n d a f

i e l d t h e r e ”

, r a t h e r t h a n “ f i e l d a f t e r f i e l d ”

w i t h a n R E I i n e f

f e c t

. 3

. I f t h e f

i e l d w a s s p r a y e d “ t o d a y ”

, t h e n t h e s p r a y h a s n o t h a d t i m e t o w o r k

, a n d i t i s p r o b a b l y n o t

n e c e s s a r y t o c h e c k t h e f

i e l d

. 4

. I f t h e f

i e l d w a s s p r a y e d “ y e s t e r d a y ”

, t h e n t h e f o l l o w

- u p v i s i t ( w h e n a n R E I i s i n e f f e c t ) i s o f t e n a

c u r s o r y

, q u i c k l o o k a t t h e f i e l d

, t o c h e c k f

o r e f f i c a c y

, r a t h e r t h a n a n e x t e n s i v e f i e l d v i s i t

.

N A I C C i s d o i n g t h e s e C r o p M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s i n o r d e r t o :

1

. D e f e n d a n d m a i n t a i n t h e C o n s u l t a n t ’ s W P S e x e m p t i o n b y d o c u m e n t i n g s c o u t i n g e x p o s u r e

. 2

. H e l p E P A m a k e i n f

o r m e d d e c i s i o n s o n t h e i m p a c t o f R E I o n c o n s u l t a n t s

, s o t h a t t h e y d o n ’ t n e e d t o

u s e t h e d e f

a u l t a s s u m p t i o n o f 8 h o u r s p e r d a y

. 3

. C o n t i n u e t o b e p r o a c t i v e

, r a t h e r t h a n “ w a i t a n d s e e ” h o w r u l e s a f f e c t o u r W P S e x e m p t i o n

T h e d a t a i n c l u d e d s h o u l d p r o v e t h a t t h e W P S e x e m p t i o n f o r C r o p C o n s u l t a n t s

, a n d t h e i r e m p l o y e e s

, s h o u l d b e

m a i n t a i n e d

.

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 2 

## I n t r o d u c t i o n

N A I C C M e m b e r s h i p i s c o m p r i s e d o f P r o f e s s i o n a l c r o p c o n s u l t a n t s a n d P r o f e s s i o n a l r e s e a r c h c o n s u l t a n t s

. T h e s e c o n s u l t a n t s m a k e t h e i r l i v i n g b y h e l p i n g f a r m e r s a n d c o m p a n i e s m a k e b e t t e r d e c i s i o n s b y

i m p l e m e n t i n g I n t e g r a t e d P e s t M a n a g e m e n t ( I P M )



### .

I n o r d e r f o r C o n s u l t a n t s t o e f

f e c t i v e l y d o I P M

, t h e y n e e d t o e n t e r t h e f i e l d o n a t i m e l y m a n n e r

. F i e l d s a r e n o t

u s u a l l y e n t e r e d w h e n a R e

- E n t r y I n t e r v a l ( R E I ) i s i n e f f e c t

, b u t i t i s i m p o r t a n t t o r e s e r v e t h e a b i l i t y t o g o i n t o t h e

f i e l d d u r i n g R E I

, f

o r w h a t i s o f

t e n a c u r s o r y

, q u i c k c h e c k o f t h e f i e l d

.

I n 1 9 9 5

, E P A g r a n t e d C e r t i f i e d C r o p C o n s u l t a n t s

, a n d t h e i r d i r e c t e m p l o y e e s

, a n e x e m p t i o n t o c e r t a i n p o r t i o n s o f

t h e W P S

. T h i s a l l o w s C e r t i f i e d C r o p C o n s u l t a n t s t h e a b i l i t y t o u s e t h e i r d i s c r e t i o n c o n c e r n i n g t h e a p p r o p r i a t e

l e v e l o f p e r s o n a l p r o t e c t i v e e q u i p m e n t ( P P E )

.

I n 1 9 9 9

, N A I C C s h a r e d w i t h E P A “ E x a m p l e C r o p M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s ” ( C M P ) f

o r :

1

. C o t t o n

2

. S p r i n g w h e a t

3

. T o m a t o e s

T h e s e “ E x a m p l e C r o p M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s ” s u g g e s t e d t h a t C r o p C o n s u l t a n t s h a v e a l o w r i s k f r o m p e s t i c i d e

e x p o s u r e

, a n d t h e p r o f

i l e s a r e l o c a t e d i n t h e A p p e n d i x

.

I n 2 0 0 2

, E P A a s k e d N A I C C f o r c o o p e r a t i o n i n d e v e l o p i n g C r o p M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s ( C M P ) f

o r o t h e r c r o p s

.

I n l a t e 2 0 0 2

, N A I C C P r e s i d e n t A l A v e r i t t a p p o i n t e d D e n n i s B e r g l u n d t o C h a i r a n N A I C C T a s k F o r c e t o w o r k

w i t h E P A t o d o c u m e n t t h e t i m e c r o p c o n s u l t a n t s a n d t h e i r e m p l o y e e s s p e n d i n t h e f i e l d d o i n g t h e i r d u t i e s

.

W h y a r e w e d o i n g t h e s e C r o p M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s ?

1

. T o d e f

e n d a n d m a i n t a i n o u r C r o p C o n s u l t a n t ’ s W P S e x e m p t i o n

. 2

. W e a r e n ’ t i n t h e f

i e l d v e r y o f

t e n d u r i n g t h e R e

- E n t

r y I n t e r v a l ( R E I )

, b u t w e m u s t r e s e r v e t h e o p t i o n t o

e n t e r t h e f

i e l d d u r i n g R E I

, b y u s i n g o u r p r o f e s s i o n a l j u d g m e n t o n P P E

.

W h a t a r e o u r M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s T a s k F o r c e ( M P T F ) O b j e c t i v e s ?

1

. T o h e l p E P A m a k e i n f o r m e d d e c i s i o n s o n t h e i m p a c t o f R E I o n c o n s u l t a n t s

, s o t h a t t h e y d o n ’ t n e e d t o u s e t h e

d e f a u l t a s s u m p t i o n o f 8 h o u r s p e r d a y

. 2

. T o d e f

e n d a n d m a i n t a i n o u r W P S e x e m p t i o n b y d o c u m e n t i n g t h e e x p o s u r e w e h a v e w h e n s c o u t i n g

. 3

. T o d e v e l o p a f

o r m a t f o r C r o p M o n i t o r i n g P r o f

i l e s ( C M P ) a n d d e l i v e r t h e i n f o r m a t i o n t o E P A

. 4

. T o p o s i t i o n N A I C C a s a c r e d i b l e

, i m p a r t i a l s o u r c e o f i n f o r m a t i o n

.

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 3 

## B a c k g r o u n d D a t a

B e c a u s e t h i s d y n a m i c a n d f u z z y p r o c e s s c a l l e d “ M O N I T O R I N G ” i s n o t e a s y t o d o c u m e n t i n a b s o l u t e n u m b e r s

,

a n e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e w h o l e t h o u g h t p r o c e s s i s n e e d e d

.

T h e D o a n e S u r v e y f

r o m A u g u s t 2 0 0 2 w a s r e v i e w e d a n d s h o w s :

A

. N e a r l y h a l f o f t h e c o n s u l t a n t s s u r v e y e d d o n o t e n t e r f i e l d s d u r i n g a n R E I

B

. C l o t h i n g w o r n i s u s u a l l y l o n g p a n t s

, w o r k b o o t s a n d a c a p

.

a

. A s t h e c r o p g r o w s t a l l e r

, c o n s u l t a n t s s w i t c h f r o m a s h o r t

- s l e e v e d s h i r t t o l o n g

- s l e e v e s

. b

. S h o r t s a r e s e l d o m w o r n a n d r e s p i r a t o r s a r e s e l d o m u s e d

. C

. T h a t c o n s u l t a n t s a r e i n t h e c r o p s d u r i n g a n R E I f o r 0

- 1 2 2 h o u r s ( 0

- 1 5

. 3 d a y s ) p e r s e a s o n

a

. T h e a v e r a g e w a s 3 1 h o u r s p e r s e a s o n ( 3

. 9 d a y s )



## T i m e S p e n t I n F i e l d D u r i n g R E I ( D o a n e S u r v e y

– A u g u s t 2 0 0 2 )

D a y s / Y e a r D a y s / W e e k H o u r s / D a y

C o n t a c t N o C o n t a c t C o n t a c t N o C o n t a c t C o n t a c t N o C o n t a c t



### C o r n 1 0

. 9 2 6 2

. 1 2

. 6 3

. 2 3

. 9

C o t t o n 9

. 4 3 4

. 8 2

. 1 3

. 1 3

. 7 2

. 4

S o r g h u m / M i l o 2

. 2 5

. 7 1

. 0 1

. 0 0 1

. 0

G r a p e s 5

. 7 8

. 3 1

. 5 1

. 0 1

. 0 2

. 5

H a y / A l f a l f a 6

. 6 2 8

. 2 1

. 8 3

. 3 2

. 7 4

. 5

P e a n u t s 1 1

. 0 8 0

. 0 1

. 5 3

. 0 1

. 0 2

. 0

P o t a t o e s 1 0

. 4 7

. 0 1

. 3 1

. 0 7

. 0 5

. 0

R i c e 1 1

. 0 1 9

. 0 1

. 8 1

. 5 1

. 0 1

. 5

S o y b e a n s 1 0

. 6 2 4

. 9 3

. 4 2

. 9 4

. 3 4

. 1

S u g a r b e e t s 1 1

. 0 2 0

. 0 3

. 0 3

. 0

- 3

. 5

S u g a r c a n e 2 1

. 0 8 0

. 0 3

. 0 5

. 0 2

. 0 1 0

. 0

T o b a c c o 4

. 0 2

. 0

- - 0

. 5 0

. 5

T r e e F r u i t s /

N u t s 3 8

. 6 4 1

. 0 2

. 8 1

. 7 2

. 0 1

. 0

T u r f 1

. 0 8

. 7

- - 2

. 0 1

. 0

V e g e t a b l e 8

. 9 1 8

. 6 1

. 8 2

. 1 2

. 2 1

. 0

W h e a t 2 7

. 2 2 3

. 1 2

. 4 2

. 0 4

. 5 2

. 0



### P P E W o r n B y G r o w t h S t a g e ( D o a n e S u r v

e y

– A u g u s t 2 0 0

2 )

P l a n t i n g /

S p r o u t i n g A n k l e

H i g h K n e e

H i g h W a i s t

H i g h S h o u l d e r

H i g h O v e r

H e a d



### L o n g P a n t s 9 0 % 9 2 % 9 2 % 9 2 % 8 9 % 9 1 %

W o r k B o o t s 9 2 % 9 1 % 9 2 % 9 2 % 9 1 % 9 3 %

H a t / C a p 8 4 % 8 1 % 8 4 % 8 6 % 8 4 % 8 4 %

L o n g

- s l e e v e d S h i r t 4 9 % 4 7 % 4 0 % 5 1 % 5 5 % 5 9 %

S h o r t

- s l e e v e d S h i r t 5 7 % 5 8 % 6 2 % 5 3 % 4 8 % 4 6 %

G l o v e s 3 7 % 3 0 % 2 6 % 2 7 % 3 0 % 3 0 %

F a c e M a s k 2 % 2 % 2 % 2 % 7 % 1 1 %

R e s p i r a t o r 2 % 2 % 2 % 2 % 7 % 9 %

S h o r t s 6 % 4 % 4 % 2 % 5 % 5 %

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 4 T h e D o a n e S u r v e y f

r o m A u g u s t 2 0 0 2 i s N O T a d d e d t o t h e A p p e n d i x

, b u t c a n b e o b t a i n e d

, b y r e q u e s t

, f r o m :

 D o a n e

, L y n n H e n d e r s o n

, ( 3 1 4 ) 5 6 9

- 2 7 0 0

 N A I C C H e a d q u a r t e r s

, A l l i s o n J o n e s

, J o n e s N A I C C @ a o l

. c o m

, ( 9 0 1 ) 8 6 1

- 0 5 1 1

 C E N T R O L C r o p C o n s u l t i n g

, D e n n i s B e r g l u n d

, d e n n i s b @ t v u t e l

. c o m

, ( 2 1 8 ) 5 8 4

- 5 1 0 7

T h e “ R i s k M o d e l ” w a s r e v i e w e d b y t a l k i n g t o E P A a n d a p r e s e n t a t i o n b y J e f f D a w s o n

. T h i n g s t h a t i n f

l u e n c e r i s k a r e :

A

. C r o p t y p e

a

. O r c h a r d s

b

. V i n e y a r d s

c

. T r e l l i s ( B e r r i e s )

d

. R o w C r o p s

B

. L e a f t y p e

a

. H a i r y

b

. S m o o t h

c

. W a x y

C

. C r o p h e i g h t a n d c r o p s t a g e

D

. F i e l d a c t i v i t i e s

E

. D e g r e e o f c o n t a c t

F

. D u r a t i o n o f e x p o s u r e

A “ L a y

- p e r s o n ’ s ” s i m p l i f i e d “ R i s k ” e q u a t i o n i s :

A

. T r a n s f

e r C o e f f i c i e n t * T o x i c i t y * D e r m a l C o n t a c t * T i m e = R i s k

a

. T r a n s f

e r C o e f f i c i e n t a n d T o x i c i t y a r e c o n s t a n t s f o r a g i v e n c h e m i c a l

b

. H o w e v e r

, w e c a n h e l p E P A i m p r o v e t h e i r e s t i m a t e o f “ T i m e ” a n d “ D e r m a l C o n t a c t ”

A R T F V i d e o s

W e r e v i e w e d t h e A g R e

- e n t r y T a s k F o r c e ( A R T F ) v i d e o s t h a t f o r m t h e b a s i s o f E P A ’ s e x p o s u r e e s t i m a t e s

. W e

f e e l t h a t o u r p r o

j e c t s h o u l d c o m p l e m e n t t h e A R T F v i d e o s a n d g i v e E P A m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n w i t h w h i c h t o b a s e

t h e i r e s t i m a t e s o f m o n i t o r i n g e x p o s u r e

.

E P A a s k e d N A I C C f

o r a p r o p o s a l f

o r d e v e l o p i n g C M P f

o r o t h e r c r o p s

. N A I C C c o m m e n d s E P A ' s d e s i r e t o c o l l e c t a n d u s e b e t t e r d a t a t h a n t h e y c u r r e n t l y h a v e

. S i n c e E P A g a v e u s a l o t o f l a t i t u d e h e r e w e s t a r t e d w i t h s o m e b a s i c q u e s t i o n s :

1

. W h a t f

o r m a t w o u l d b e b e s t ?

2

. W i l l t h i s b e a “ T i m e a n d M o t i o n ” s t u d y ?

3

. W h a t k i n d o f f

u n d i n g i s a v a i l a b l e ?

4

. S h o u l d i t b e g e n e r a l o r s p e c i f i c ?

5

. 1 0 c r o p s o r 5 0 c r o p s ?

6

. W h a t c r o p s w o u l d E P A r e c o m m e n d ?

7

. W h a t R e g i o n s w o u l d E P A r e c o m m e n d ?

8

. H o w c a n w e d o c u m e n t t h e d u r a t i o n o f e x p o s u r e ?

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 5 H i g h I n t e n s i t y S u r v e y

1

. W e s t a r t e d w i t h a n e x t e n s i v e s u r v e y ( w h i c h w a s e x p e n s i v e )

2

. G u i d e l i n e s

a

. W e ’ l l d o 1 0

- 2 0 c r o p s

b

. W e ’ l l h a v e 1 0

- 3 0 s c o u t p a r t i c i p a n t s

c

. E a c h s u r v e y w o u l d r e q u i r e a b o u t 4 0 h o u r s o f t i m e

d

. E a c h s c o u t w o u l d k e e p w e e k

- l o n g t i m e l o g s a t t h r e e d i f f e r e n t t i m e s d u r i n g t h e s e a s o n a n d w o u l d

d o c u m e n t f

i e l d t i m e

, t r a v e l t i m e

, o f

f i c e t i m e

, e t c

e

. Q u a l i t y a s s u r a n c e w o u l d b e p r o v i d e d b y C e r t i f i e d N A I C C m e m b e r s b e i n g t h e p a r t i c i p a n t s

f

. E s t i m a t e d c o s t i s $ 1

, 0 0 0 p e r s c o u t

g

. 1 0 c r o p s w i t h 3 0 s c o u t s g i v e 3 0 0 u n i t s @ $ 1 0 0 0

= $ 3 0 0

, 0 0 0

h

. 2 0 c r o p s w i t h 3 0 s c o u t s g i v e 6 0 0 u n i t s @ $ 1 0 0 0

= $ 6 0 0

, 0 0 0

W e m e t w i t h E P A i n M a r c h o f 2 0 0 3 a n d r e v i e w e d t h e H i g h I n t e n s i t y P r o j e c t

. I t w a s d e t e r m i n e d t h a t f u n d i n g w a s

n o t a v a i l a b l e f

o r a p r o j e c t o f t h i s m a g n i t u d e

. W e t a l k e d w i t h E P A a b o u t t h e v a l u e o f a “ l o w i n t e n s i t y ” s u r v e y

c o m p a r e d t o t h e “ h i g h i n t e n s i t y ” s u r v e y o u t l i n e d a b o v e

. W e t h e n s t a r t e d p l a n n i n g f o r a l o w e r i n t e n s i t y s u r v e y

,

r a t h e r t h a n t h e i n

- d e p t h s u r v e y

.

L o w e r I n t e n s i t y A p p r o a c h

W e d e c i d e d t o t a k e a “ n o n

- s u r v e y ” a p p r o a c h t o o u r C r o p M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s

. T h i s w o u l d b e s i m i l a r t o o u r

E x a m p l e C r o p M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s ( S e e C o t t o n

, T o m a t o e s a n d S p r i n g W h e a t i n A p p e n d i x )

. W e h a d a 2 d a y “ f

o c u s g r o u p ” m e e t i n g o f E P A a n d N A I C C m e m b e r s t h a t h a d t h e s e g o a l s :

1

. D r a w o n o u r e x p e r i e n c e a n d e x p e r t i s e

. 2

. S t i m u l a t e d i s c u s s i o n a n d a r r i v e a t c o n s e n s u s o n s c o u t i n g r i s k

. 3

. C o n s t r u c t a D a t a M a t r i x t o g i v e E P A r e a l i s t i c t i m e a n d c o n t a c t e s t i m a t e s t o u s e i n t h e i r r i s k a s s e s s m e n t s

.



## D a t a M a t r i x

1

. E x p o s u r e d e f

i n i t i o n s

a

. A v e r a g e h o u r s p e r e m p l o y e e i n a l l f i e l d s p e r d a y

i

. T h e t i m e t h a t i s s p e n t i n a l l f i e l d s o f t h a t s p e c i f

i c c r o p

i i

. E a r l y

, M i d d l e a n d L a t e c r o p s t a g e s

b

. A v e r a g e h o u r s p e r e m p l o y e e i n c o n t a c t w i t h c r o p p e r d a y

i

. T h e a m o u n t o f t i m e s p e n t i n

- c o n t a c t w i t h p l a n t p a r t s i n t h a t s p e c i f i c c r o p

i i

. E a r l y

, M i d d l e a n d L a t e c r o p s t a g e s

c

. N u m b e r o f D a y s i n f

i e l d / a l l a c t i v i t i e s

i

. D a y s t h a t a n e m p l o y e e i s i n t h a t s p e c i f i c c r o p d u r i n g t h e g r o w i n g s e a s o n

i i

. E a r l y

, M i d d l e a n d L a t e c r o p s t a g e s

d

. D e s c r i p t i o n

i

. E a r l y

, M i d d l e a n d L a t e c r o p s t a g e s

i i

. A c c o r d i n g t o d e v e l o p m e n t a n d v a r i e s b y c r o p

e

. T h e d a t a i s a p p l i c a b l e t o b o t h c o n s u l t a n t s a n d e m p l o y e e s

. 2

. T i m e d e f

i n i t i o n

a

. W e e s t i m a t e d t h e a c t u a l t i m e

, w h e t h e r i t w a s 1 / 2 t o 1 6 h o u r s p e r d a y

. b

. W e d i d i n c o r p o r a t e a v e r a g e s

, h o w e v e r

, s i n c e s o m e d a y s w e s p e n d l e s s t i m e i n f i e l d s t h a n o t h e r

t i m e s a n d s o m e s c o u t s s p e n d m o r e t i m e t h a n o t h e r s

. 3

. T h e t e r m s “ s c o u t i n g ” a n d “ m o n i t o r i n g ” a r e u s e d i n t e r c h a n g e a b l y

. 4

. T h e t e r m s “ s c o u t ” a n d “ s u m m e r i n t e r n ” a r e u s e d i n t e r c h a n g e a b l y

.

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 6 

# D a t a

M a t r i x A v e r a g e h o u r s i n

a l l F i e l d s p e r d a y

A l l d a t a i s p e r

e m p l o y e e A v e r a g e h o u r s i n

c o n t a c t w i t h c r o p

p e r d a y

A l l d a t a i s p e r

e m p l o y e e N u m b e r o f D a y s

i n f i e l d / a l l

a c t i v i t i e s D e s c r i p t i o n o f f i e l d a c t i v i t i e s

C r o p R e g i o n

/

S t a t e E a r l y M i d L a t e E a r l y M i d L a t e E a r l y M i d L a t e E a r l y M i d L a t e

V e g e t a b l e s

S w e e t C o r n C A /

W A 1 4 2

. 3 0

. 6 2

. 8 1

. 8 1 0 6 0 1 3 W h o r l S i l k H a r v e s t

S w e e t C o r n N Y 5 2 6 0

. 1 0

. 2 6 1 4 2 6 0 0

- 4 L e a f 5

- t a s s e l T a s s e l

h a r v e s t

S w e e t C o r n F L 3 4 5 0

. 1 2

. 4 5 5 6 7 0 9 0 0

- 4 L e a f W h o r l S i l k i n g

h a r v e s t

T o m a t o e s F L 2

. 8 4 4 1

. 1 1

. 6 1

. 6 6 0 8 0 5 0 T r a n s p l a n t F r u i t s e t t i n g F r u i t

m a t u r a t i o n

h a r v e s t

L e t t u c e N M 0

. 5 1 1

. 8 0 0

. 5 1

. 8 2 0 1 0 4 P l a n t i n g

t h i n n i n g T h i n n i n g

h e a d d e v

. H e a d i n g

h a r v e s t

L e t t u c e F L 3 3

. 4 4 0

. 4 1

. 5 2 6 4 8 0 6 4 S e e d i n g

p r e

- c u p C u p p i n g H e a d i n g

h a r v e s t

S u c c u l e n t

( g r e e n ) p e a s N Y 5 2

. 5 1 0

. 5 2

. 5 1 1 4 7 1 0

- 4 N o d e 5 N o d e

b l o s s o m B l o s s o m

h a r v e s t

S u c c u l e n t

( g r e e n ) p e a s T X 0

. 5 1 1 0

. 2 5 0

. 5 0

. 5 8 8 8 0

- 4 N o d e 5 N o d e

b l o s s o m B l o s s o m

h a r v e s t

C a r r o t s M I 2

. 5 3

. 1 3

. 4 0

. 2 5 1 3

. 4 2 5 1 0 4 5 0

- 5 ” T a l l 6

- 1 1 ” T a l l > 1 2 ” T a l l

C a r r o t s N Y 4 4 4 0

. 5 3 4 2 0 8 4 0 0

- 5 ” T a l l 6

- 1 1 ” T a l l > 1 2 ” T a l l

C a b b a g e N Y 3 6 8 1

. 5 4 8 2 4 4 0 6 0 0

- 1 0 L e a f C u p p i n g A f t e r h e a d

f o r m a t i o n

A p p l e s M I 3 3 3 1

. 5 1

. 5 1

. 5 2 5 2 0 D o r m a n t

d e l a y e d

d o r m a n t 1 / 2 " G r e e n

p e t a l f a l l P e t a l f

a l l t o

h a r v e s t

A p p l e s W A 6 6 4 2 2 2 3 4 2 3 D o r m a n t

d e l a y e d

d o r m a n t 1⁄2 " G r e e n

p e t a l f a l l P e t a l f

a l l t o

h a r v e s t

G r a p e s C A 6 6 6 1 1 1 2 4 2 4 2 4 B l o o m E a r l y f r u i t L a t e f

r u i t

P e a c h e s W A 2 2 2 0

. 5 0

. 5 0

. 7 5 0

. 3 0

. 3 7 D o r m a n t

d e l a y e d

d o r m a n t G r e e n

- t i p P e t a l f a l l t o

h a r v e s t

O r a n g e s F L 5 5 5 0

. 5 1 0

. 5 2 6 3 B l o o m

F e b

- M a y E a r l y f

r u i t

J u n

- S e p t H a r v e s t O c t

J a n

S t r a w

b e r r i e s C A /

A Z /

W A 5 5 5 2

. 5 3 3 8 0 8 0 8 0 P r e

- b l o o m

O c t

- N o v P r e

- h a r v e s t H a r v e s t

S t r a w

b e r r i e s F L 3 2

. 6 2

. 6 1

. 5 1

. 8 2 4 8 4 8 4 8 P r e

- b l o o m

O c t

- N o v 6 m o n t h c r o p

H a r v e s t

-

D e c

- M a r c h H a r v e s t

D e c

- M a r c h

P e c a n s G A 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 D o r m a n t

5 0 % b u d

b r e a k P o l l i n a t i o n

n u t f i l l i n g G e l s t a g e t o

s h u c k s p l i t

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 7 P e c a n s T X

/ N M 2 4 2 0

. 5 1

. 5 1

. 5 6 0 1 2 0 1 2 0 D o r m a n t

5 0 % b u d

b r e a k P o l l i n a t i o n

n u t f i l l i n g G e l s t a g e t o

s h u c k s p l i t

C o t t o n W e s t T X 3 4 2 0

. 3 2

. 5 1 2 1 2 0 1 8

C o t t o n G A /

N C 3 4 2 0

. 5 3 1

. 5 2 2 1 9 2 1 < 3 6 " 3 6

- 4 0 " 3 6

- 4 0 "

C o t t o n L A /

M S 3 5 2

. 5 0

. 6 3

. 5 2 2 5 2 4 2 6

C o r n I A /

M N 1

. 5 1 1

. 7 0

. 3 1 1

. 8 2 1 1 0 2 2 < 2 4 " 2 4

- 4 2 " > 4 2 "

C o r n I L 4 4 6 0

. 1 1

. 2 1 2 4 4 < 2 4 " 2 4

- 4 2 " > 4 2 "

C o r n N E / K S 3

. 5 4 4 1

. 3 3

. 2 4 2 6 8 2 5 < 2 4 " 2 4

- 4 2 " > 4 2 "

C o r n M i d

S o u t h 0

. 7 5 0

. 7 5 1

. 5 0

. 2 5 0

. 2 5 1

. 4 1 0 5 1 6 < 2 4 " 2 4

- 4 2 " > 4 2 "

S o y b e a n s M i d

S o u t h 0

. 5 1

. 5 3 0

. 2 1

. 2 2

. 8 5 1 0 1 5 P r e

- f l o w e r R 2

- 4 R 5

- 7

S o y b e a n s M N

/ I A 0

. 5 2

. 5 2

. 3 0

. 3 1

. 3 2

. 3 2 0 1 0 2 5 P r e

- f l o w e r R 2

- 4 R 5

- 7

P o t a t o e s I D 3

. 9 4

. 5 4

. 4 0

. 8 3 4

. 4 1 0 1 0 3 2 0

- 1 0 ” t a l l 1 0

- 1 8 ” T a l l F u l l c a n o p y

P o t a t o e s W A / O R 2

. 1 5

. 1 5

. 1 0

. 6 2

. 6 5

. 1 4

. 1 8

. 2 4 0 0

- 1 0 ” t a l l 1 0

- 1 8 ” T a l l F u l l c a n o p y

P o t a t o e s M N

/ N D 3 4 6 0

. 5 2 6 1 5 1 5 5 0 E m e r g i n g

a n k l e h i g h A n k l e h i g h

f u l l c a n o p y F u l l c a n o p y

P o t a t o e s M I

/ N Y 3

. 1 4

. 3 4

. 6 0

. 6 2

. 9 4

. 6 2 0 1 0 3 6 < 1 0 " 1 0

- 1 8 " 1 8 " + / R o w

c l o s e

P o t a t o e s C O 2

. 5 5 6

. 5 1 3

. 5 6

. 5 2 5 2 0 4 5 < 1 0 " 1 0

- 1 8 " 1 8 " + / R o w

c l o s e

S u g a r b e e t s M N

/ N D 2

. 5 1

. 7 1

. 8 0

. 3 0

. 5 1

. 8 3 0 1 5 3 5 < 6 l e a f 6

- 1 0 L e a f 1 2 +

S u g a r b e e t s I D 1

. 5 1 1

. 5 0

. 2 0

. 3 0

. 2 5 3 5 2 4 4 0 < 6 l e a f 6

- 1 0 L e a f 1 2 +

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 8 

## C r o p N a r r a t i v e s

T h i s d y n a m i c a n d f

u z z y p r o c e s s c a l l e d “ M O N I T O R I N G ” i s n o t e a s y t o d o c u m e n t i n a b s o l u t e n u m b e r s ! S i n c e o u r

D a t a M a t r i x i s s o m e w h a t " c o a r s e "

, t h e s e C r o p N a r r a t i v e s w i l l b e a s i m p o r t a n t a s t h e D a t a M a t r i x t o g i v e a g o o d

u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f w h a t w e d o i n t h e f i e l d

. T h e C r o p N a r r a t i v e s f o l l o w o n t h e n e x t d o z e n o r s o p a g e s

.

A p p l e s

– ( T r e e F r u i t ) P a c i f i c N o r t h w e s t

o C l o t h i n g f

o r s c o u t s :

 U p p e r B o d y

– l o n g o r s h o r t s l e e v e s h i r t s

 L o w e r B o d y

– l o n g p a n t s

, s o c k s

, s h o e s o r b o o t s

 R u b b e r b o o t s a n d t y v e k s u i t s w h e n n e e d e d

o E a r l y s e a s o n : D o r m a n t t o D e l a y e d D o r m a n t

– o r c h a r d s a r e i n s p e c t e d o n c e f o r e v a l u a t i o n p r i o r t o

a p p l i c a t i o n s f

o r p e s t c o n t r o l s

 A p p r o x

. 4 h o u r s p e r d a y

o M i d

- s e a s o n : 1⁄2 i n c h g r e e n t o p e t a l f a l l

– o r c h a r d s a r e c h e c k e d w e e k l y

, t h e r e i s n o f o l i a g e

 A p p r o x

. 5

. 5 h o u r s p e r d a y

o L a t e s e a s o n : P e t a l f

a l l t o h a r v e s t

– f

o l i a g e i s p r e s e n t

, s c o u t s d e p l o y t r a p s a n d c h e c k t h e m w e e k l y

 A p p r o x

. 5

. 5 h o u r s p e r d a y

o S c o u t s a r e e q u i p p e d w i t h 4 w h e e l e r s a n d w e a r p r o p e r c l o t h i n g

. T h e y r e c e i v e s a f e t y i n s t r u c t i o n s

i n c l u d i n g b e i n g t o l d n o t t o e n t e r a n y o r c h a r d w h e r e t h e r e i s e v i d e n c e o f r e c e n t a p p l i c a t i o n s ( o d o r

o r r e s i d u e ) o r i f t h e o r c h a r d i s p o s t e d

.

o A v e r a g e a c t u a l c o n t a c t h o u r s w i t h t r e e f r u i t f o l i a g e : m i d

- A p r i l t h r o u g h S e p t e m b e r = 5 7 7

. 5 h o u r s

C a b b a g e

- N Y

o E a r l y s e a s o n : 0

- 1 0 l e a f ( p r e c u p )

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• S h o r t s l e e v e d s h i r t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, s h o e s

, r u b b e r b o o t s a n d / o r p l a s t i c r a i n p a n t s w h e n

f o l i a g e i s w e t

. L a t e x g l o v e s o p t i o n a l

.

 A c t i v i t i e s

• E x a m i n a t i o n o f f

o l i a g e f o r p e s t i n f

e s t a t i o n

• M o d e r a t e c o n t a c t

• A l l f i e l d s w a l k e d

o M i d

- s e a s o n : C u p p i n g t o h e a d f o r m a t i o n

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• S h o r t s l e e v e d s h i r t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, s h o e s

, r u b b e r b o o t s a n d / o r p l a s t i c r a i n p a n t s w h e n

f o l i a g e i s w e t

. L a t e x g l o v e s o p t i o n a l

.

 A c t i v i t i e s

• E x a m i n a t i o n o f f

o l i a g e f o r p e s t i n f

e s t a t i o n

• D i s e a s e o b s e r v a t i o n

• 6 7 % o f t i m e i n c o n t a c t w i t h c r o p

• A l l f i e l d s w a l k e d

o L a t e s e a s o n : H e a d f

o r m a t i o n t o h a r v e s t

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• S h o r t s l e e v e d s h i r t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, s h o e s

, r u b b e r b o o t s a n d / o r p l a s t i c r a i n p a n t s w h e n

f o l i a g e i s w e t

. L a t e x g l o v e s o p t i o n a l

.

 A c t i v i t i e s

• E x a m i n a t i o n o f f

o l i a g e f o r p e s t i n f

e s t a t i o n

• D i s e a s e o b s e r v a t i o n

• 1 0 0 % o f t i m e i n c o n t a c t w i t h c r o p

• A l l f i e l d s w a l k e d

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 9C a r r o t s

– M I a n d N Y

o S c o u t i n g d o n e w e e k l y f r o m e a r l y M a y t i l l m i d

- l a t e S e p t e m b e r

. S o m e p r o c e s s i n g f i e l d s a r e n o t

h a r v e s t e d u n t i l l a t e O c t o b e r

, b u t a s t e m p e r a t u r e s c o o l v e r y l i t t l e s p r a y i n g a n d s c o u t i n g n e e d s t o b e

d o n e

. F i e l d s g e n e r a l l y n o t s c o u t e d d u r i n g r e s t r i c t e d e n t r y i n t e r v a l s

. S p r a y i n t e r v a l s a r e g e n e r a l l y

l o n g e r t h a n 7 d a y s e x c e p t i n h e a v y d i s e a s e p r e s s u r e y e a r s w h e n s p r a y i n g i s d o n e w e e k l y l a t e

s e a s o n

.

o C l o t h i n g w o r n

 S h o r t s l e e v e d s h i r t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, s h o e s

, r u b b e r b o o t s a n d / o r p l a s t i c r a i n p a n t s w h e n f o l i a g e

i s w e t

.

o E a r l y s e a s o n : P l a n t i n g t o 3 t r u e l e a v e s o r 5 i n c h p l a n t s

. S t a g e l a s t s 5

- 6 w e e k s

.

 M i n i m a l c r o p c o n t a c t

. S t a n d c o u n t s d o n e w i t h p e n s e p a r a t i n g p l a n t s w h i l e c o u n t i n g

. W e e d c o n t r o l a s s e s s m e n t s m a d e

. S w e e p i n g o f g r a s s y m a r g i n s f o r a s t e r l e a f

h o p p e r

.

o M i d s e a s o n : 4

- 6 t r u e l e a v e s o r 6

- 1 1 i n c h p l a n t s

. S t a g e l a s t s o n l y 2

- 3 w e e k s

.

 C r o p c o n t a c t o n l y 2 5

- 3 3 % o f t i m e w h i l e i n f i e l d s

. S w e e p f

i e l d s f o r a s t e r l e a f

h o p p e r s

. B e g i n s p r e a d i n g l e a v e s

, c h e c k i n g n e w g r o w t h

, a n d e x a m i n i n g p e t i o l e s f o r d i s e a s e

s y m p t o m s

.

o L a t e s e a s o n : F u l l c a n o p y 7 + t r u e l e a v e s o r 1 2 + i n c h p l a n t s

. S t a g e l a s t s 8

- 1 0 w e e k s

.

 C r o p c o n t a c t 1 0 0 % o f t i m e i n f i e l d

. S w e e p i n g a n d p l a n t c h e c k s f o r d i s e a s e c o n t i n u e s

. B e g i n d i g g i n g p l a n t s t o c h e c k r o o t h e a l t h

.

C i t r u s ( o r a n g e s )

- F L

o C l o t h i n g

 S h o r t s l e e v e s a n d l o n g p a n t s

, p l a s t i c c h e m i c a l l y r e s i s t a n t g l o v e s a r e w o r n 5 0 % o f t h e t i m e

( t h i s i s a n i n d i v i d u a l t r a i t a n d n o t b a s e d o n p e s t i c i d e a p p l i c a t i o n s )

, c a p / h a t

, b o o t s / s h o e s

a n d s o c k s

.

o T r a n s p o r t a t i o n

 D r i v e p i c k

- u p o r A T V u p t o f i e l d o r g r o v e e d g e a n d w a l k i n t o a n d t h r o u g h a n d o u t o f f i e l d

a n d l o a d b a c k u p

.

o E a r l y s e a s o n : B l o o m

/ e a r l y f r u i t d e v e l o p m e n t ( a b o u t F e b t o M a y )

o M i d

- s e a s o n : E a r l y

/ m i d f r u i t d e v e l o p m e n t ( J u n e t o S e p t )

o L a t e s e a s o n : F r u i t m a t u r a t i o n ( O c t t o F e b )

. A c t i v i t y i s e s s e n t i a l l y t h e s a m e t h r o u g h o u t t h e c r o p :

e x a m i n i n g l e a v e s o r f

r u i t f o r m i t e s

.

C o r n

– I l l i n o i s ( G I S b a s e d t y p e o f s c o u t i n g )

o A c t i v i t i e s :

 E a r l y s e a s o n : S t a n d c o u n t s

, I n s e c t a n d D i s e a s e M o n i t o r i n g

• C l o t h i n g : B o o t s

, L o n g p a n t s

, l o n g s l e e v e s h i r t

, h a t

 M i d

- s e a s o n : I n s e c t

, D i s e a s e a n d P l a n t V i g o r m o n i t o r i n g

• C l o t h i n g : B o o t s

, L o n g p a n t s

, L o n g s l e e v e s h i r t

, h a t

 L a t e s e a s o n : P o l l i n a t i o n p r o g r e s s / s u c c e s s

, I n s e c t & D i s e a s e m o n i t o r i n g

,

• Y i e l d E s t i m a t e s

o C l o t h i n g : B o o t s

, L o n g p a n t s

, L o n g s l e e v e s h i r t

, h a t

o A l l i n f

o i s t o t a l l y G I S b a s e d ( t h i s d a t a )

o V e r y l i t t l e f

o l i a g e c o n t a c t u p t o a b o u t V 5

- V 6 ( 1 0

- 1 2 " ) a s A T V i s u s e d t o t r a v e r s e f i e l d s

.

o A e r i a l i m a g e r y i s u s e d a t a l l t i m e s a s a n a v i g a t i o n g u i d e a n d t i m e s a v e r ( d r a m a t i c a l l y r e d u c i n g

c o n t a c t t i m e )

o E n t r a n c e a n d e x i t o f f i e l d ( s ) i s r e c o r d e d i n a G e o

- r e f e r e n c e d w a y

- p o i n t w i t h t i m e

, d a t e

, f i e l d

n a m e

, a c t i v i t y p e r f

o r m e d

, p e r t i n e n t c r o p i n f

o

, a n y c o m p o u n d a p p l i e d / d a t e

, e t c

. , e t c

. a n d a t t r i b u t e d

t o t h e p o i n t f

o r i n s t a n t r e t r i e v a l a t a n y t i m e

.

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 1 0 o A l l o b s e r v a t i o n s a r e r e c o r d e d i n d e t a i l a n d a t t r i b u t e d t o a g e o

- r e f e r e n c e d w a y

- p o i n t w h i c h c a n

a l s o i n c l u d e a n a c t u a l v o i c e r e c o r d i n g f o r i n s t a n t r e t r i e v a l a t a n y t i m e

.

o A l l d a t a i s i m m e d i a t e l y t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e m a s t e r G I S p r o g r a m f o r r e v i e w

, a n a l y s i s a n d a s a

p e r m a n e n t r e c o r d

.

o I n m o s t o f I l l i n o i s

, v e r y l i t t l e p o s t e m e r g e n c e c o m p o u n d o f a n y t y p e i s e v e r a p p l i e d

. A n

o c c a s i o n a l o u t b r e a k o f E u r o p e a n c o r n b o r e r w i l l o c c u r 1 o u t o f 5 o r 6 y e a r s

. E v e n i n t h i s

s i t u a t i o n

, t h e f

i e l d i s o n l y s p r a y e d o n e t i m e a n d s e l d o m i s a r e

- e n t r y m a d e

. C h e m i c a l e x p o s u r e

d u r i n g s c o u t i n g o p e r a t i o n s i s n o t a p r o b l e m

.

C o r n

- M N

/ I A

o E a r l y s e a s o n : 0

- 8 ” t a l l

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• C a p o r h a t

, j a c k e t

, g l o v e s

, l o n g p a n t s o r c o v e r a l l s

, b o o t s

 A c t i v i t i e s

• S t a n d c o u n t s

• W e e d o b s e r v a t i o n

• V e r y l i t t l e c o n t a c t

 A T V s

, w a l k i n g

, e t c

• A T V ’ s a r e m a i n l y u s e d

o M i d

- s e a s o n : 8

- 2 4 ” t a l l

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• C a p o r h a t

, p o s s i b l y j a c k e t

, l o n g p a n t s

, b o o t s

 A c t i v i t i e s

• F i n a l w e e d o b s e r v a t i o n

• V e r y l i t t l e c o n t a c t

 A T V s

, w a l k i n g

, e t c

• A T V ’ s a n d w a l k i n g

o L a t e s e a s o n : > 2 4 ” t a l l

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• C a p o r h a t

, l o n g p a n t s

, b o o t s

 A c t i v i t i e s

• M a i n l y i n s e c t a n d l a t e w e e d o b s e r v a t i o n

• T h e r e i s c o n t a c t o n t h e a r m s

, f a c e a n d c l o t h i n g

, b u t o n l y u n t i l t h e s p r a y d e c i s i o n i s

m a d e

, s c o u t i n g p r e t t y m u c h e n d s

.

• W h e n i n s e c t s a r e s p r a y e d m o n i t o r i n g e n d s

, e x c e p t f o r a q u i c k l o o k a t t h e f

i e l d

 A T V s

, w a l k i n g

, e t c

• F i e l d a r e w a l k e d

C o t t o n

o C l o t h i n g w o r n ( s e a s o n l o n g )

 L o n g p a n t s

, s h i r t

, b o o t s o r s h o e s

, a n d h a t

 W e a r r a i n s u i t b o t t o m s a n d / o r t o p s w h e n d e w o r r a i n f a l l i s p r e s e n t

o S c o u t s a r e g i v e n W P S h a n d l e r t r a i n i n g

.

o E a r l y s e a s o n : E m e r g e n c e t o 1 s t b l o o m

 A c t i v i t i e s

• T o u c h t o p l e a v e s w i t h t h e h a n d s f o r a f e w s e c o n d s

• H o l d s t e m o r m a k e v i s u a l o b s e r v a t i o n o f f o l i a g e

• E x a m i n e t e r m i n a l b u d u s i n g t o o l s w h i l e h o l d i n g p l a n t w i t h s e v e r a l f i n g e r s

– n e w

t e r m i n a l g r o w t h o f

t e n i s t o o f

r e s h t o h a v e i n s e c t i c i d e r e s i d u e s p r e s e n t

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 1 1 • M o v e o n t h r o u g h f i e l d f o r a f e w m i n u t e s

, e x a m i n e a n o t h e r p l a n t s a m e w a y

.

• A d d i t i o n a l m o n i t o r i n g u s i n g s w e e p n e t s ( c o n t a c t l i m i t e d t o r e m o v i n g 0

– 8 l e a v e s

f r o m t h e n e t p r i o r t o c o u n t i n g i n s e c t s )

• V e r y l i m i t e d c o n t a c t w h i l e w a l k i n g

.

o M i d

- s e a s o n : 1 s t b l o o m

– l a t e b l o o m

 A c t i v i t i e s

• G o t h r o u g h f

i e l d

• E x a m i n e t e r m i n a l b u d a r e a

• P u l l a n d c o u n t s q u a r e s

, b l o o m s

, a n d b o l l s ( 2 0

– 5 0 / f i e l d )

• U s e s w e e p n e t

• M o v e t h r o u g h f

i e l d a n d r e p e a t p r o c e s s

.

o L a t e s e a s o n : L a t e b l o o m

– m a t u r i t y

 A c t i v i t i e s

• G o t h r o u g h f

i e l d

• E x a m i n e t e r m i n a l b u d a r e a

, b l o o m s

, a n d b o l l s

.

• P u l l s m a l l f

r u i t i n g f o r m s f r o m p l a n t s

• M o v e t h r o u g h f

i e l d a n d r e p e a t p r o c e s s

.

• L i m i t e d f

i e l d a c t i v i t y a f

t e r n o d e a b o v e w h i t e f

l o w e r o f 5 + 3 5 0 D D

- 6 0 ’ s

.

• M o s t l y f

i e l d o b s e r v a t i o n f

r o m t u r n r o w

o C o t t o n r e g i o n c o m p a r i s o n s a n d c o m m e n t s

 9 5 % o f c o t t o n i n S o u t h a n d S o u t h e a s t i s s c o u t e d

.

 C o t t o n i n L A a n d M S g e n e r a l l y r e a c h e s 4 8 ”

.

• C o t t o n i n G A / N C s e l d o m a s t a l l a s M i d

- S o u t h c o t t o n

.

• C o t t o n i n W e s t T e x a s s e l d o m r e a c h e s k n e e

- h i g h

, a n d i n s e c t p r e s s u r e i s

s u b s t a n t i a l l y l e s s t h a n t h a t i n t h e M i d

- S o u t h

.

o O v e r a l l c r o p h e i g h t a n d d e n s i t y a t f u l l d e v e l o p m e n t i s s u b s t a n t i a l l y l e s s

t h a n M i d

- s o u t h a n d S E a r e a s

, d u e t o l a c k o f s o i l m o i s t u r e

. P r o j e c t e d

r e v e n u e s d o n o t j u s t i f

y h i g h i n p u t s

, h e n c e f

e w e r p e s t i c i d e s a r e u s e d

.

 C o t t o n i n G A / N C t r e a t e d m u c h l e s s t h a n c o t t o n i n M i d

- S o u t h d u e t o l e s s i n s e c t p r e s s u r e

.

G r a p e s

- C a l i f

o r n i a

o C l o t h i n g

 L o n g s l e e v e s a n d l o n g p a n t s

, p l a s t i c c h e m i c a l l y r e s i s t a n t g l o v e s

, c a p / h a t

, b o o t s / s h o e s a n d

s o c k s

.

o T r a n s p o r t a t i o n

 D r i v e u p t o t h e f

i e l d o r v i n e y a r d

, g e t o u t a n d w a l k d u r i n g t h e o b s e r v a t i o n s a n d g e t b a c k i n

t h e t r u c k

o G r a p e s a r e n o t s c o u t e d a s i n t e n s i v e l y a s f r u i t a n d v e g e t a b l e s

.

 M a y t o A u g u s t t h e g r a p e s a r e s c o u t e d o n a w e e k l y b a s i s

.

 S c o u t s a r e i n t h e f

i e l d 6 h o u r s p e r d a y

 F o l i a g e c o n t a c t

– a v e r a g e s l e s s t h a n 1 h o u r / d a y

.

 G r a p e b e i n g a p e r e n n i a l

, M a y i s b l o o m i n g a n d f r u i t m a t u r e s d u r i n g t h e n e x t 4 m o n t h s

d u r i n g w h i c h t h e s c o u t i n g o c c u r s

.

 C o n t a c t c o n s i s t s o f t u r n i n g l e a v e s o v e r a n d l o o k i n g f o r l e a f h o p p e r s

.

L e t t u c e

- F L

o C l o t h i n g

 L o n g s l e e v e s a n d l o n g p a n t s

, p l a s t i c c h e m i c a l l y r e s i s t a n t g l o v e s

, c a p / h a t

, b o o t s / s h o e s a n d

s o c k s

.

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 1 2 o T r a n s p o r t a t i o n

 D r i v e p i c k

- u p o r A T V u p t o f i e l d e d g e a n d w a l k i n t o a n d t h r o u g h a n d o u t o f f i e l d a n d l o a d

b a c k u p

.

o E a r l y s e a s o n : S e e d l i n g t o p r e

- c u p p i n g ( a b o u t 1 0 l e a f )

. A c t i v i t y i s e x a m i n i n g a l e a f s a m p l e f o r

i n s e c t s a n d d i s e a s e s

.

o M i d

- s e a s o n : C u p p i n g s t a g e

. A c t i v i t y i s e x a m i n i n g a s a m p l e o f l e a v e s a n d p l a n t s i n c l u d i n g r o o t s

f o r i n s e c t s a n d d i s e a s e s

.

o L a t e s e a s o n : M a t u r a t i o n

. A c t i v i t y i s c u t t i n g o f f p l a n t s a n d e x a m i n i n g f

o r i n s e c t s

, d i s e a s e s

, a n d

f o r e i g n o b j e c t s

.

o L e t t u c e i s c o n t i n u o u s l y c r o p p e d f o r 8 m o n t h s

. S e e d i n g b e g i n s a r o u n d S e p t e m b e r 1 a n d f i n i s h e s

F e b r u a r y 1 5 w i t h a 3 m o n t h o v e r l a p o f p l a n t i n g a n d h a r v e s t i n g

. T h e N u m b e r o f D a y s f o r E a r l y i s

6 4 d u r i n g S e p t e m b e r a n d O c t o b e r

, f o r M i d i s 8 0 f

o r N o v e m b e r t o F e b r u a r y ( m o s t l y t h e o v e r l a p

p e r i o d ) a n d L a t e i s M a r c h / A p r i l f o r a 6 4 d a y p e r i o d

.

L e t t u c e

- N M

o E a r l y s e a s o n : P l a n t i n g t h r o u g h t h i n n i n g

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• H a t

, B o o t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, l o n g s l e e v e d s h i r t

 A c t i v i t i e s

• S c h e d u l e i r r i g a t i o n s

• M o n i t o r s t a n d d e v e l o p m e n t

• M o n i t o r i n s e c t s

 F i e l d s a r e w a l k e d

• V e r y l i t t l e f

o l i a r c o n t a c t ( f

o l i a g e i s r e m o v e d w i t h k n i f e b l a d e f o r i n s p e c t i o n )

o M i d

- s e a s o n : T h i n n i n g t o h e a d d e v e l o p m e n t

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• H a t

, B o o t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, l o n g s l e e v e d s h i r t

 A c t i v i t i e s

• S c h e d u l e i r r i g a t i o n s

• M o n i t o r i n s e c t s

• M o n i t o r d i s e a s e s

• M o n i t o r w e e d s

 F i e l d s a r e w a l k e d

• M i n i m a l f

o l i a r c o n t a c t ( m a i n l y t o h a n d s )

o L a t e s e a s o n : H e a d i n g t o h a r v e s t

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• H a t

, b o o t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, l o n g s l e e v e d s h i r t

, l a t e x g l o v e s

 A c t i v i t i e s

• M o n i t o r i n g c r o p m a t u r i t y ( s c h e d u l i n g h a r v e s t )

• S c h e d u l i n g i r r i g a t i o n s

• M o n i t o r i n g i n s e c t s

• M o n i t o r i n g d i s e a s e s

 F i e l d s a r e w a l k e d

• M i n i m a l f

o l i a r c o n t a c t ( m o s t l y t o b o o t s a n d l o w e r p a n t l e g s )

• L a t e x g l o v e s a r e u s e d w h e n c u t t i n g h e a d s t o d e t e r m i n e h a r v e s t d a t e

o M a r c h 2

, 2 0 0 4 c o m m e n t s o n L e t t u c e

– “ I a m c u r r e n t l y c h e c k i n g l e t t u c e f i e l d s i n N e w M e x i c o t h a t

w i l l h a r v e s t i n A p r i l a n d M a y

. T h e s e f i e l d s w e r e p l a n t e d f

r o m D e c

. 7

, 2 0 0 3 t h r o u g h e a r l y

F e b r u a r y o f 2 0 0 4

. A s o f M a r c h 2

, 2 0 0 4

, n o n e o f t h e f i e l d s I a m c u r r e n t l y c h e c k i n g h a v e b e e n

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 1 3 s p r a y e d w i t h p e s t i c i d e s

. T h e r e h a s b e e n n o p e s t i c i d e e x p o s u r e f o r o v e r 7 0 d a y s

. T h i s i s t y p i c a l

f o r l e t t u c e c r o p s g r o w n i n t h i s a r e a a t t h i s t i m e

. P e s t i c i d e s w i l l o n l y b e u s e d w h e n i n s e c t

p o p u l a t i o n s r e a c h t r e a t a b l e l e v e l s

. ”

P e c a n s

- G e o r g i a

o O r c h a r d s a r e t r e a t e d g e n e r a l l y e v e r y 1 0 d a y s

.

o A l l t r e a t m e n t s b e f

o r e M a y a r e a u t o m a t i c

o S c o u t i n g s t a r t s i n M a y

.

o S c o u t i n g c o n s i s t s o f d r i v i n g u p t o a t r e e a n d e x a m i n i n g l e a v e s

, w h i c h i n v o l v e s h a n d c o n t a c t

. A f t e r a f e w c l u s t e r s o f l e a v e s a r e i n s p e c t e d

, d r i v e t o a n o t h e r t r e e

. T h i s p r o c e s s c o n t i n u e s u n t i l a n

o r c h a r d i s f

i n i s h e d

.

 T h e n d r i v e t o a n o t h e r f a r m

. R e p e a t t h e p r o c e s s

. H a n d s a r e i n c o n t a c t w i t h l e a v e s l / 4 o f

d a y

. T h r e e d a y s p e r w e e k a r e i n v o l v e d w i t h s c o u t i n g

. T h i s c o n t i n u e s u n t i l 2 w e e k s

b e f o r e h a r v e s t b e g i n s a b o u t 2 2

– 2 4 w e e k s

.

P e c a n s

– N M

o E a r l y s e a s o n : F u l l d o r m a n c y t o 5 0 % b u d b r e a k

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• L o n g p a n t s

, b o o t s

, l o n g s l e e v e d s h i r t

, a n d h a t

 A c t i v i t i e s

• I r r i g a t i o n s c h e d u l i n g

• F o l i a r f

e r t i l i z e r r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s ( z i n c s p r a y s )

• M o n i t o r w e e d d e v e l o p m e n t

• P l a c e m o t h t r a p s i n t r e e s

 E x p o s u r e

• T y p i c a l l y

, n o p e s t i c i d e s a r e a p p l i e d a t t h i s s t a g e

.

o M i d

- s e a s o n : 5 0 % b u d b r e a k t h r o u g h p o l l i n a t i o n

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• L o n g p a n t s

, b o o t s

, l o n g s l e e v e d s h i r t

, a n d h a t

.

 A c t i v i t i e s

• I r r i g a t i o n s c h e d u l i n g

• M o n i t o r w e e d s

• M o n i t o r m o t h t r a p s

• C h e c k n u t c l u s t e r s f

o r P e c a n N u t C a s e b e a r e r a c t i v i t y

 E x p o s u r e

• T y p i c a l l y

, n u t c l u s t e r s a r e i n s p e c t e d w h e n t r a p c o u n t s i n d i c a t e a m o t h f l i g h t

.

• N o p e s t i c i d e e x p o s u r e d u r i n g t h i s p h a s e

.

• I f i n s p e c t i o n r e v e a l s t h a t a t r e a t m e n t i s r e q u i r e d

, a f o l l o w

- u p v i s i t i s d o n e 7 d a y s

l a t e r

.

• 1 0 0 n u t c l u s t e r s a r e i n s p e c t e d

.

• F o l i a r c o n t a c t i s p r i m a r i l y t o h a n d s

.

o L a t e s e a s o n : P o l l i n a t i o n t o s h u c k s p l i t

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• L o n g p a n t s

, b o o t s

, l o n g s l e e v e d s h i r t

, a n d h a t

.

 A c t i v i t i e s

• I r r i g a t i o n s c h e d u l i n g

• M o n i t o r m o t h t r a p s

• C o l l e c t l e a f s a m p l e s

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 1 4 • M o n i t o r a p h i d p o p u l a t i o n s

 E x p o s u r e

• T y p i c a l l y

, n o p e s t i c i d e t r e a t m e n t s a r e m a d e a t t h i s t i m e

.

• I f t h r e s h o l d l e v e l s o f B l a c k P e c a n A p h i d s a r e o b s e r v e d

, a t r e a t m e n t w i l l b e

s c h e d u l e d a n d a f

o l l o w

- u p v i s i t w i l l b e m a d e 7 d a y s l a t e r t o e v a l u a t e t h e r e s u l t s

.

• E x p o s u r e i s p r i m a r i l y t o t h e h a n d s

.

o A d d i t i o n a l c o m m e n t

 “ I n 2 0 0 3

, a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 / 3 o f t h e p e c a n a c r e s I c h e c k e d w e r e s p r a y e d w i t h a f o l i a r

p e s t i c i d e

. T h e r e s t o f t h e a c r e a g e w a s n o t t r e a t e d d u e t o s u b

- t h r e s h o l d i n s e c t

p o p u l a t i o n s

. ”

P o t a t o e s

- C o l o r a d o

o T h e c o n s u l t a n t c h e c k s t h e m 5 d a y s a w e e k a l l d a y a n d d o e s n o t d o a n y o t h e r c r o p s

. H e c h e c k s

p o t a t o e s 1 0 0 % o f t h e t i m e

. H i s N a r r a t i v e i s a s f o l l o w s

.

o E a r l y s e a s o n : 0 t o 1 0 "

 C a p

, l o n g s l e e v e s h i r t

, l o n g p a n t s

, j a c k e t

, b o o t s

.

 W a l k i n g t h e f

i e l d N o A T V

.

o M i d

- s e a s o n : 1 0 t o 1 8 "

 C a p

, j a c k e t

, l o n g p a n t s

, r u b b e r b o o t s

, c h e m i c a l r e s i s t a n t c h a p s

, l o n g s l e e v e s h i r t

.

 W a l k i n g t h e f

i e l d N o A T V

o L a t e s e a s o n : 1 8 " t h r u s e n e s c e n c e

 C a p

, l o n g s l e e v e s h i r t

, l o n g p a n t s

, r u b b e r b o o t s

, c h e m i c a l r e s i s t a n t c h a p s

.

 W a l k i n g t h e f

i e l d

.

 A t t h i s t i m e t h e y u s a s w e e p n e t w h e n c h e c k i n g f o r i n s e c t s

.

P o t a t o

– C o l u m b i a B a s i n ( W A

, I D

, O R )

, M I a n d N Y

o C l o t h i n g w o r n :

 s h o r t s l e e v e s h i r t

, l o n g p a n t s

, s o c k s a n d s h o e s

. M i d

- c a l f r u b b e r b o o t s a n d / o r p l a s t i c r a i n

p a n t s o r t y v e c s p r a y s u i t w h e n f o l i a g e i s w e t

. M a n y s c o u t s w e a r l a t e x g l o v e s

.

o G e n e r a l l y

, o n l y e n t e r p o t a t o f i e l d s t o s c o u t d u r i n g R E I ’ s w h e n t h e r e i s l a t e b l i g h t i n a n a r e a a n d

s p r a y i n g i n t e r v a l s a r e r e d u c e d t o 5 d a y s o r l e s s

. I n t h e n o r t h w e s t

, f i e l d s o c c a s i o n a l l y e n t e r e d

d u r i n g a R E I a f

t e r a b o r d e r m i t e s p r a y

. M o s t s c o u t i n g o c c u r s 7 2

- 9 6 h o u r s ( m o r e i n d r i e r a r e a s )

a f t e r s p r a y i n g

.

o E a r l y s e a s o n : P l a n t i n g t o 1 0 i n c h p l a n t s

- - e a r l y V e g e t a t i v e s t a g e

. 1

- 1 0 v i s i t s

 P r e

- e m e r g e n c e v i s i t a n d f i r s t p o s t e m e r g e n c e v i s i t o n A T V p r i m a r i l y f o r w e e d s c o u t i n g

,

e m e r g e n c e a n d s t a n d a s s e s s m e n t

.

 N e x t 2

- 3 v i s i t s c h e c k 5 p l a n t s / a r e a f o r s i g n s / s y m p t o m s o f i n s e c t s a n d d i s e a s e s

.

 D i g 1 p l a n t i n e a c h a r e a s a m p l e d t o a s s e s s r o o t h e a l t h a n d m o n i t o r s o i l m o i s t u r e

.

 S w e e p n e t a n d m i d

- p l a n t l e a f s a m p l i n g b e g i n s f o r p o t a t o l e a f

h o p p e r s a n d a p h i d s l a t e i n

t h i s s t a g e

. M i n i m a l f

o l i a g e c o n t a c t o c c u r s

.

o M i d

- s e a s o n : 1 0

- 1 8 i n c h e s

- - R a p i d v e g e t a t i v e g r o w t h p r i o r t o f u l l c a n o p y

. 2

- 6 v i s i t s

 P l a n t a n d l e a f s a m p l i n g c o n t i n u e s f o r d i s e a s e a n d i n s e c t a s s e s s m e n t s

.

 P e t i o l e s a m p l i n g f

o r n i t r a t e o r c o m p l e t e t i s s u e a n a l y s i s b e g i n s

.

 S o i l m o i s t u r e a s s e s s m e n t s f o r i r r i g a t i o n s c h e d u l i n g b e g i n

.

o L a t e s e a s o n : F u l l c a n o p y

- s e n e s c e n c e

. 6

- 2 0 v i s i t s

.

 P l a n t

, l e a f

, p e t i o l e a n d s o i l m o i s t u r e s a m p l i n g c o n t i n u e s

.

 C h e c k 3

- 1 0 s a m p l e s i t e s p e r f i e l d

. I n e a c h s a m p l e s i t e c h e c k 5 p l a n t s o r s h a k e / b e a t v i n e s

o n t o a b e e t s h e e t

, c h e c k 1 0

- 2 0 l e a v e s a n d d o 2 5 s w e e p s o f a s w e e p n e t

. D i g 3

- 5 p l a n t s p e r

f i e l d

.

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 1 5  P e t i o l e s a m p l i n g : r e m o v e n e w e s t f u l l y e x p a n d e d l e a f a n d s t r i p l e a f l e t s o f f p e t i o l e s ( 3 0

-

5 0 / f i e l d )

. I f o n l y d o i n g p e t i o l e s t a k e s a b o u t 2 0 m i n u t e s w h e n w a l k i n g a b o u t 3 0 0 f e e t i n

t h e f i e l d

.

 L e a f s a m p l i n g : p i c k 8 0

- 1 0 0 o r m o r e m i d

- l o w e r p l a n t l e a v e s / f i e l d a n d c o u n t a p h i d s

, m i t e s

a n d l e a f h o p p e r s

.

 W h o l e p l a n t s a m p l e s : m o v e / s h a k e p l a n t l e a v e s a n d s t e m s t o c o u n t i n s e c t s a n d r a t e d i s e a s e

s y m p t o m s

.

 S o i l m o i s t u r e a s s e s s m e n t s : u s i n g a s h o v e l

, d i g i n r o o t z o n e a n d s q u e e z e a h a n d f u l o f s o i l

f r o m d i f f e r e n t d e p t h s t o s e e i f i t b a l l s o r r i b b o n s

. C h e c k s o i l m o i s t u r e s e n s o r s o f t e n

r e q u i r e s o n l y w a l k i n g 3 0 0 f e e t i n t h e f

i e l d o r t a k e s o i l c o r e s f

o r g r a v i m e t r i c a n a l y s i s

.

P o t a t o e s

– M N

/ N D

o E a r l y s e a s o n : E m e r g i n g

- a n k l e h i g h

 M o s t l y A T V

• L i t t l e c o n t a c t

o M i d

- s e a s o n : A n k l e h i g h

- f u l l c a n o p y

 1⁄2 A T V

 1⁄2 W a l k i n g

o L a t e s e a s o n : F u l l c a n o p y

 U s u a l l y w a l k i n g i n t h e f i e l d

S o y b e a n

- M N

/ I A

o E a r l y s e a s o n : 0

- 5 ”

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• C a p o r h a t

, j a c k e t

, g l o v e s

, l o n g p a n t s o r c o v e r a l l s

, b o o t s

 A c t i v i t i e s

• S t a n d c o u n t s

• W e e d o b s e r v a t i o n

• V e r y l i t t l e c o n t a c t

 A T V s

, w a l k i n g

, e t c

• A T V ’ s a r e m a i n l y u s e d

o M i d

- s e a s o n : 6

- 1 5 ”

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• C a p o r h a t

, p o s s i b l y j a c k e t

, l o n g p a n t s

, b o o t s

 A c t i v i t i e s

• F i n a l w e e d o b s e r v a t i o n

• V e r y l i t t l e c o n t a c t

 A T V s

, w a l k i n g

, e t c

• A T V ’ s a n d w a l k i n g

o L a t e s e a s o n : 1 5 + “

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• C a p o r h a t

, l o n g p a n t s

, b o o t s

 A c t i v i t i e s

• M a i n l y i n s e c t a n d l a t e w e e d o b s e r v a t i o n

• M o s t c o n t a c t i s o n t h e p a n t s a n d b o o t s

 A T V s

, w a l k i n g

, e t c

• F i e l d a r e w a l k e d

 S o y b e a n s a r e s c o u t e d h e a v i l y d u r i n g f u l l c a n o p y

, b u t o n c e f

i e l d i s s p r a y e d

, s c o u t i n g p r e t t y

m u c h e n d s

.

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 1 6S t r a w b e r r i e s

- C a l i f

o r n i a a n d F l o r i d a

o C l o t h i n g

 L o n g s l e e v e s a n d l o n g p a n t s

, p l a s t i c c h e m i c a l l y r e s i s t a n t g l o v e s

, c a p / h a t

, b o o t s / s h o e s a n d

s o c k s

.

o T r a n s p o r t a t i o n

 D r i v e p i c k

- u p o r A T V u p t o f i e l d e d g e a n d w a l k i n t o a n d t h r o u g h a n d o u t o f f i e l d a n d l o a d

b a c k u p

.

o F o l i a g e ( l e a f u n d e r s i d e s ) i s e x a m i n e d f o r m i t e s a n d c a n o p y o b s e r v e d f o r d i s e a s e s

.

o S c o u t s a r e i n t h e c r o p 5 h o u r s p e r d a y a n d 5 d a y s p e r w e e k

.

o E a r l y s e a s o n : P r e

- b l o o m ( a b o u t S e p t t o N o v

, d e p e n d i n g o n s o u t h e r n o r n o r t h e r n C A )

 T h e n e x t s t a g e i s h a r v e s t i n g f r o m N o v

- J u n e ( a g a i n d e p e n d i n g o n S o r N C A )

S u c c u l e n t P e a s

- N Y

o E a r l y s e a s o n : 0

- 4 n o d e s

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• S h o r t s l e e v e d s h i r t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, s h o e s

, r u b b e r b o o t s a n d / o r p l a s t i c r a i n p a n t s w h e n

f o l i a g e i s w e t

.

 A c t i v i t i e s

• S t a n d i n s p e c t i o n

• W e e d i n s p e c t i o n

• M i n i m a l c r o p c o n t a c t

• 9 5 % o f p e a s h a v e N O p e s t i c i d e a p p l i e d p r i o r t o t h i s s t a g e

.

 M o s t f

i e l d s s c o u t e d w i t h A T V

o M i d

- s e a s o n : 5 n o d e t o b l o s s o m

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• S h o r t s l e e v e d s h i r t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, s h o e s

, r u b b e r b o o t s a n d / o r p l a s t i c r a i n p a n t s w h e n

f o l i a g e i s w e t

.

 A c t i v i t i e s

• A s s e s s m e n t o f h e r b i c i d e e f f i c a c y

• D i s e a s e o b s e r v a t i o n

• 1 0 0 % o f t i m e i n c o n t a c t w i t h c r o p

• A l l f i e l d s w a l k e d

o L a t e s e a s o n : B l o s s o m t o h a r v e s t

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• S h o r t s l e e v e d s h i r t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, s h o e s

, r u b b e r b o o t s a n d / o r p l a s t i c r a i n p a n t s w h e n

f o l i a g e i s w e t

.

 A c t i v i t i e s

• E x a m i n a t i o n o f f

o l i a g e f o r p e s t i n f

e s t a t i o n

• D i s e a s e o b s e r v a t i o n

• 1 0 0 % o f t i m e i n c o n t a c t w i t h c r o p

• A l l f i e l d s w a l k e d

S w e e t C o r n

- F L

o C l o t h i n g

 L o n g o f s h o r t s l e e v e s a n d l o n g p a n t s

, p l a s t i c c h e m i c a l l y r e s i s t a n t g l o v e s w o r n b y s o m e

,

c a p / h a t

, b o o t s / s h o e s a n d s o c k s

. F r o m m i d

- l a t e s t a g e s w a t e r

- p r o o f a p r o n s o r p a n t s a r e

w o r n

.

o T r a n s p o r t a t i o n

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 1 7  D r i v e p i c k

- u p o r A T V u p t o f i e l d o r g r o v e e d g e a n d w a l k i n t o a n d t h r o u g h a n d o u t o f f i e l d

a n d l o a d b a c k u p

.

o E a r l y s e a s o n : 2 t o 3 l e a f ( a b o u t 2 w e e k s p o s t

- e m e r g e )

. A c t i v i t y i s o b s e r v i n g f o r w e e d s

, t a k i n g

s t a n d c o u n t s a n d l o o k i n g f o r w o r m s

.

o M i d

- s e a s o n : W h o r l s t a g e t o t a s s e l

- p u s h

. A c t i v i t y i s l o o k i n g f o r w o r m s a n d d i s e a s e s

.

o L a t e s e a s o n : S i l k i n g a n d h a r v e s t i n g

. A c t i v i t y i s s l i g h t l y o p e n i n g t h e s i l k s a n d c l o s e l y e x a m i n i n g

f o r w o r m s

.

o M o s t s w e e t c o r n i n F L i s c o n t i n u o u s l y c r o p p e d f o r a 6 o r 7 m o n t h c r o p p i n g p e r i o d

.

o T h e N u m b e r o f D a y s

 E a r l y o c c u r s a r o u n d N o v e m b e r / D e c e m b e r a n d i s 5 6

 M i d i s 7 0 a t J a n u a r y

/ F e b r u a r y

 L a t e i s 9 0 d u r i n g M a r c h / A p r i l / M a y

.

S w e e t C o r n

- N Y

o E a r l y s e a s o n : 0

- 4 l e a f

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• S h o r t s l e e v e d s h i r t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, s h o e s

, r u b b e r b o o t s a n d / o r p l a s t i c r a i n p a n t s w h e n

f o l i a g e i s w e t

.

 A c t i v i t i e s

• S t a n d i n s p e c t i o n

• W e e d i n s p e c t i o n

• M i n i m a l c r o p c o n t a c t

• A l l f i e l d s s c o u t e d w i t h A T V

o M i d

- s e a s o n : 5 l e a f t o t a s s e l

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• S h o r t s l e e v e d s h i r t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, s h o e s

, r u b b e r b o o t s a n d / o r p l a s t i c r a i n p a n t s w h e n

f o l i a g e i s w e t

.

 A c t i v i t i e s

• A s s e s s m e n t o f h e r b i c i d e e f f i c a c y

• D i s e a s e o b s e r v a t i o n

• M o d e r a t e c r o p c o n t a c t

• M o s t f

i e l d s w a l k e d

o L a t e s e a s o n : T a s s e l t o h a r v e s t

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• H a t

, l o n g s l e e v e d s h i r t s

, l o n g p a n t s

, s h o e s

, r u b b e r b o o t s a n d / o r r a i n s u i t s w h e n

f o l i a g e i s w e t

.

 A c t i v i t i e s

• E x a m i n a t i o n o f f

o l i a g e f o r p e s t i n f

e s t a t i o n

• D i s e a s e o b s e r v a t i o n

• 1 0 0 % o f t i m e i n c o n t a c t w i t h c r o p

• A l l f i e l d s w a l k e d

S w e e t C o r n

– P a c i f

i c N W

o C l o t h i n g f

o r s c o u t s

 L o n g s l e e v e s h i r t s

 R a i n w e a r i f f

i e l d s a r e w e t

 S c a r f

, c a p o r b a n d a n a i f i n d i v i d u a l d o e s n o t w a n t c o r n p o l l e n i n h a i r

 S t u r d y s h o e s

, l o n g p a n t s

, r u b b e r b o o t s

, i f f i e l d i s w e t

 M a s k s a n d s a f

e t y g l a s s e s a r e u s e d a c c o r d i n g t o p r e f e r e n c e

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 1 8 o E a r l y s e a s o n : P l a n t i n g t o l a t e w h o r l s t a g e

 5 0

- 6 0 d a y s a f

t e r p l a n t i n g

 L i m i t e d c r o p e x p o s u r e p r i o r t o l a t e w h o r l

 A t l a t e w h o r l

, w a l k t h e f i e l d f o r % t a s s e l e m e r g e n c e 2

- 3 t i m e s p e r w e e k

o M i d

- s e a s o n : S i l k i n g s t a g e ( l a t e w h o r l t o 1 0 0 % s i l k )

 S c o u t s v i s i t f

i e l d e v e r y 1

- 2 d a y s u n t i l 1 s t a p p i s m a d e ( a t 1

- 1 0 % s i l k )

 A f t e r 1 s t a p p

, f

i e l d s a r e v i s i t e d t h e d a y p r i o r t o t h e n e x t s c h e d u l e d s p r a y ( e v e r y 4

- 6 d a y s )

• T h i s c o n t i n u e s u n t i l f i e l d m a t u r i t y i s r e a c h e d o r p e s t p r e s s u r e d e c l i n e s

o L a t e s e a s o n : D r y s i l k t o h a r v e s t

 F i e l d w o u l d b e c h e c k e d 2

- 3 t i m e s f o r a p p l i c a t i o n s u c c e s s

o G e n e r a l

 F i e l d c h e c k s a r e u s u a l l y c o m p l e t e d i n a b o u t 1 5

- 2 0 m i n u t e s p e r 1 4 0 a c r e c e n t e r p i v o t f i e l d

 A c t u a l t i m e i n t h e f

i e l d v a r i e s

, b u t u s u a l l y o n l y 3

- 5 m i n u t e s o f c r o p e x p o s u r e i s r e q u i r e d a t

e a c h s a m p l i n g p o i n t

, w i t h 4 s a m p l i n g p o i n t s p e r f i e l d t h e n o r m

 D u e t o h u m i d i t y

, p o l l e n a n d t e m p s

, f i e l d w o r k i s t y p i c a l l y f

i n i s h e d b y n o o n

S u g a r b e e t s

- M i n n e s o t a

o E a r l y s e a s o n : 0

- 6 l e a f

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• C a p o r h a t

, j a c k e t

, g l o v e s

, l o n g p a n t s o r c o v e r a l l s

, b o o t s

 A c t i v i t i e s

• S t a n d c o u n t s

• W e e d o b s e r v a t i o n

• V e r y l i t t l e c o n t a c t

 A T V s

, w a l k i n g

, e t c

• S c o u t i n g i s d o n e o n a n A T V e a r l y s e a s o n

, w i t h v e r y l i t t l e c o n t a c t

.

o M i d

- s e a s o n : 6

- 8 l e a f

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• C a p o r h a t

, p o s s i b l y j a c k e t

, l o n g p a n t s

, b o o t s

 A c t i v i t i e s

• F i n a l w e e d o b s e r v a t i o n

• V e r y l i t t l e c o n t a c t

 A T V s

, w a l k i n g

, e t c

• A T V ’ s a n d w a l k i n g

• S c o u t i n g i s d o n e o n a n A T V e a r l y s e a s o n

, w i t h v e r y l i t t l e c o n t a c t

.

o L a t e s e a s o n : 1 0 + l e a f

 C l o t h i n g w o r n

• C a p o r h a t

, l o n g p a n t s

, b o o t s

 A c t i v i t i e s

• I n s e c t a n d d i s e a s e o b s e r v a t i o n

• M o s t c o n t a c t i s o n t h e p a n t s a n d b o o t s

• S c o u t i n g i s d o n e w e e k l y o r b i

- w e e k l y b e t w e e n f u n g i c i d e a p p l i c a t i o n s

.

 A T V s

, w a l k i n g

, e t c

• F i e l d a r e w a l k e d

T o m a t o e s

- F L

o C l o t h i n g

 L o n g s l e e v e s a n d l o n g p a n t s

, p l a s t i c c h e m i c a l l y r e s i s t a n t g l o v e s

, c a p / h a t

, b o o t s / s h o e s a n d

s o c k s

.

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 1 9 o T r a n s p o r t a t i o n

 D r i v e p i c k

- u p o r A T V u p t o f i e l d o r g r o v e e d g e a n d w a l k i n t o a n d t h r o u g h a n d o u t o f f i e l d

a n d l o a d b a c k u p

.

o E a r l y s e a s o n : T r a n s p l a n t ( a b o u t a 2 w k i n t e r v a l )

. A c t i v i t y i s t u r n i n g o v e r l e a v e s a n d l o o k i n g f o r

i n s e c t s a n d e x a m i n i n g f

o l i a g e f o r d i s e a s e s

.

o M i d

- s e a s o n : F r u i t s e t t i n g ( a b o u t w e e k 3 t o 8 )

. A c t i v i t y i s p i c k i n g 1 0 l e a v e s p e r 1 0 a c r e s t o p a n d

e x a m i n i n g f

o r l e a f m i n e r s a n d w h i t e f

l i e s

. A l s o s o m e f

o l i a g e c o n t a c t i n t u r n i n g o v e r l e a v e s f o r

w o r m p r e s e n c e

.

o L a t e s e a s o n : F r u i t m a t u r a t i o n a n d h a r v e s t ( w e e k 9 t o a b o u t 1 4 )

.

o T h e N u m b e r o f D a y s o f S c o u t i n g r e f e r s t o t o m a t o c r o p s t h a t a r e p l a n t e d e v e r y w e e k s t a r t i n g i n

S e p t e m b e r 1 a n d f

i n i s h i n g i n D e c e m b e r 3 1

.

o T h e s e c r o p s b e g i n h a r v e s t i n g a r o u n d D e c e m b e r 1 a n d f i n i s h h a r v e s t i n g A p r i l 3 0

.

o T h e N u m b e r o f D a y s f o r p o t e n t i a l c o n t a c t i s 6 0 f o r S e p t e m b e r a n d O c t o b e r

, 8 0 f o r N o v e m b e r t o

F e b r u a r y a n d 5 0 f

o r M a r c h a n d A p r i l

.

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 2 0 

## N A I C C P o l i c y S t a t e m e n t

C o n c e r n i n g E m p l o y e e s o f

C e r t i f i e d A g r i c u l t u r a l P r o f

e s s i o n a l s

R e g a r d i n g t h e E P A W o r k e r P r o t e c t i o n S t a n d a r d ( W P S )

, T h e N a t i o n a l A l l i a n c e o f I n d e p e n d e n t C r o p C o n s u l t a n t s

( N A I C C ) b e l i e v e s t h e e x e m p t i o n t o c e r t a i n p o r t i o n s o f t h e W P S

, w h i c h w a s g r a n t e d b y E P A i n 1 9 9 5 t o q u a l i f i e d

c r o p c o n s u l t a n t s

, a n d t h e i r d i r e c t e m p l o y e e s p l a c e s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o n a l l e x e m p t e d c e r t i f i e d c o n s u l t a n t s t o :

P u r s u e a d d i t i o n a l c o n t i n u i n g e d u c a t i o n o n a l l m a t t e r s r e l a t i n g t o p e s t i c i d e s a f e t y p r o c e d u r e s

R o u t i n e l y c o n d u c t p e s t i c i d e s a f e t y t r a i n i n g f

o r a l l e m p l o y e e s c o v e r e d b y t h e N A I C C W P S e x e m p t i o n

C o n s i d e r t h a t s u c h t r a i n i n g s h o u l d i n c l u d e i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g a p p r o p r i a t e p e r s o n a l p r o t e c t i v e

e q u i p m e n t s ( P P E )

, a p p r o p r i a t e c l o t h i n g a n d t h e c a r e a n d h a n d l i n g o f s a m e

.C l o s e l y e v a l u a t e w h a t a r e a p p r o p r i a t e a g e s o f c u r r e n t a n d p r o s p e c t i v e e m p l o y e e s w h o w i l l b e e n g a g i n g i n

t a s k s c o v e r e d b y t h e W P S e x e m p t i o n

, s u c h t h a t t h e s e e m p l o y e e s a r e a b l e t o b r i n g s u f f i c i e n t k n o w l e d g e

a n d a w a r e n e s s t o t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e d u t i e s

.R e f r a i n f r o m d i r e c t i n g e m p l o y e e s i n t o t a s k s t h a t d i f f e r s u b s t a n t i a l l y

, t e m p o r a l l y o r s p a t i a l l y f r o m t h a t o f

t h e c o n s u l t a n t s o a s t o a v o i d a n y i n a d v e r t e n t r e d u c t i o n i n s a f e t y

- r e l a t e d p r a c t i c e s o r p r o c e d u r e s

.T h e N A I C C e n c o u r a g e s a l l q u a l i f i e d c o n s u l t a n t s t o a d h e r e t o t h e s e p r a c t i c e s

. F u r t h e r

, N A I C C p l e d g e s t o

w o r k w i t h E P A t o d i s s e m i n a t e i n f o r m a t i o n a l m a t e r i a l s t o c o n s u l t a n t m e m b e r s t h r o u g h e l e c t r o n i c m e d i a

a n d p r i n t e d m a t e r i a l s

.



## S u m m a r y

T h e r e w i l l c e r t a i n l y b e “ g a p s ” i n t h e M o n i t o r P r o f i l e s c r o p d a t a t h a t w e c o l l e c t

... .

H o w e v e r

, C o n s u l t a n t s n e e d t o k e e p t h e i r W P S e x e m p t i o n !

C o n s u l t a n t s a n d e m p l o y e e s d o n o t e n t e r t h e f i e l d s d u r i n g a n R E I v e r y o f t e n

, b u t w e n e e d t o r e s e r v e t h e r i g h t t o

e n t e r t h e f

i e l d

, a c c o r d i n g t o o u r W P S e x e m p t i o n

, i n o r d e r t o e f f i c i e n t l y c a r r y o u t o u r I P M d u t i e s

.

N A I C C w e l c o m e s E P A t o u s e u s a s a r e s o u r c e a n d s o u n d i n g b o a r d f o r t h e i r d e c i s i o n s

.

N A I C C h o p e s t h a t t h i s r e p o r t w i l l h e l p E P A m a k e b e t t e r d e c i s i o n s b y u n d e r s t a n d i n g w h a t C o n s u l t a n t s d o i n t h e

f i e l d

.

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 2 1 

## A p p e n d i xMonitoringProfilesReport-NAICC2/17/2005Page22SPRINGWHEATMONITORINGPROFILE(sample)preparedbyCENTROL,Inc.TwinValley,MNWheatacresestimatedat30%oftheacresinarea.Averageconsultantcovers25,000acresofcrop,soaveragewheatacresperconsultantis7,500acres.GrowthStage%ofWorkingWeekDurationinWeeksFieldVisitsperWeekTotalFieldVisitsperDay%TimeCropContactActivitiesHours/DayinFieldHours/DayinFieldsWithREIMinutes/DayCropContactInFieldsWithREIMinutes/WeekCropContactInFieldsWithREITotalMinutes/SeasonCropContactInFieldsWithREIPlanting-Sprouting2020.5250.1Notinfieldmuch2.40.00.00.00.0WalkintofieldanddigupafewseedscheckingforseeddepthEmergence-2Leaf5021500.1rideATVacrossfield,digupandexamineroots6.00.00.00.00.0nocontactviawalkingLookforweedsOftenwearcoverallsandgloves3rd-5thLeaf5031500.1rideATVoverfield,digupandexamineroots6.00.95.628.184.2nocontactviawalkingOftenwearcoverallsandgloves5th-6thLeaf5020.5500.1walkfieldandexamineweedcontrolandpests6.00.95.614.028.1Jointing-Boot2031400.1checkforleafdisease,2.40.42.211.233.7limitedcontactviawalking,personnelwearbootsandpantsRainpantswornifitiswetandwheatisoverbootheightHeading-Maturity1030.5350.1spotcheckfordiseaseandinsects1.20.21.12.88.4limitedcontactviawalking,personnelwearbootsandpantsRainpantswornifitiswetPersonsdoingmonitoringworkanaverageof50-70hours/week.Allemployeeswearpantsandboots.Handsarewashedbeforeeating.154.4TrainingusuallyincludesPestScoutingSchoolatNDSU,Safetytrainingvideo,andpersonaltrainingbyconsultantScoutworksinsamegeneralareaasconsultant,meetingwithothers10-12timesperday,andcarry2-wayradiosandcellphones.TotalMinutes/SeasonAverageworkday=12hoursCropContactInFieldsWithREIMonitoringProfilesReport-NAICC2/17/2005Page23COTTONMONITORINGPROFILEaspreparedbyRogerCarter,TimWhite,&WalterMyersAgriculturalManagementServices,Inc.Clayton,LAGROWTH%OFTIMEFREQUENCYPLANTS/FIELDDESCRIPTIONTIMETIME/DAYTIMETIME/DAYPERSONNELPERDAYINFIELDSPERDAYCROPCONTACTINSTAGEWORKING40-400acresINFIELDWITHINREICROPCONTACTFIELDSWITHINREIemergence-3rdnode102.5weeks1X/wk20-50holdstemandmakevisualobservationoffoliage4-8hrs<1.0hr<0.5hr<0.2HRnocontactviawalking4th-7thnode152weeks1X/wk20-40pullplantsviastem,countnodesbytouchingpetioles4-8hrs<1.0hr<1hr<0.4HR40-80examineterminalbudareausingtoolswhileholdingplantwithseveralfingers-newterminalgrowthoftenistoofreshtohaveinsecticidesonit.nocontactviawalking8th-12thnodeor653weeks1X/wk20-40pullplantsviastem,countnodesbytouchingpetioles6-8hrs<1.0hr<0.5hr<0.2hr1stbloom20-80examineterminalbudareausingtoolswhileholding<1.0hr<0.5hr<0.2hrplantwithseveralfingers-newterminalgrowthoftenistoofreshtohaveinsecticidesonit.additionalmonitoringusingsweepnets-contactlimitedto<1.0hr<0.25hr<0.2hrremoving0-8leavesfromthesweepnetpriortocountinginsects.limitedcontactviawalking,personnelwearrubbersoleboots-12-16",allpersonnelwearlongbluejeansorkhakis;bottomslickersuitswornifitiswetandcottonisoverbootheight1stbloom-latebloom857weeks1X/4-5days20-80examineterminalbudareausingtoolswhileholding6-8hrs<1.0hr<0.5hr<0.2hr40-200fruitpullandexaminefordamage&insects<1.0hr<0.5hr<0.2hrlimitedcontactviawalking,personnelwearrubbersoleboots-12-16",allpersonnelwearlongbluejeansorkhakis;bottomslickersuitswornifitiswetandcottonisoverbootheightlatebloom-maturity153-4weeks1X/wk20-40sameasaboveexceptlesstimetoexamineterminalbuds,4-8hrs<1.0hr<0.5hr<0.2hr20-100fruitmoretimetoexaminesmallbolls(lessinsecticidepresent<1.0hr<0.5hr<0.2hronfruitloweronthestalk)rainsuitssameasabovePersonsdoingmonitoringworkanaverageof60-70hours/week.

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 2 4 

### T o m a t o M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e

T h e i m p a c t o f W P S r e g u l a t i o n s o n I P M i n t o m a t o e s

– b y G l a d e s C r o p C a r e

T o d e t e r m i n e t h e i m p a c t o f W P S r e s t r i c t e d

- e n t r y r e g u l a t i o n s o n a n I P M p r o g r a m i n a t y p i c a l f a l l t o m a t o p l a n t i n g

i n s o u t h F l o r i d a t w o h y p o t h e t i c a l s p r a y p r o g r a m s w a s c o n s t r u c t e d

. T h e n u m b e r o f a p p l i c a t i o n s o f e a c h p e s t i c i d e

w a s b a s e d o n G C C ’ s e x p e r i e n c e w i t h t h i s c r o p

. T h e f a l l s e a s o n w a s c h o s e n b e c a u s e o f t y p i c a l l y h i g h i n s e c t

d i s e a s e p r e s s u r e b r o u g h t o n b y h i g h t e m p e r a t u r e s a n d a b u n d a n t r a i n f a l l

. T h e s e s p r a y p r o g r a m s a r e p r e s e n t e d i n

T a b l e s 1 a n d 2

. I n t h e f

i r s t s c e n a r i o

, i t w a s a s s u m e d t h a t s c o u t s c o u l d s c o u t t h e u n s p r a y e d p o r t i o n o f a p l a n t i n g

o n t h e d a y o f a p p l i c a t i o n

, a n d t h a t e n t r y w o u l d b e r e s t r i c t e d f o l l o w i n g a p p l i c a t i o n i n a l l p a r t s o f t h e p l a n t i n g f o r

t h e t i m e p e r i o d s p e c i f

i e d o n t h e p r o d u c t l a b e l

. T h e g r o w e r c h o s e p e s t i c i d e s b a s e d o n t h e i r e f f i c a c y a n d t h e

f r e q u e n c y o f a p p l i c a t i o n w a s b a s e d o n t h e n e e d t o c o n t r o l p e s t s

, e s p e c i a l l y d i s e a s e s d u r i n g t h e r a i n y s e a s o n

. I n s e c t i c i d e a p p l i c a t i o n s i n T a b l e 1 r e f l e c t t h e u s e o f r e d u c e d r i s k p e s t i c i d e s w h e r e v e r p o s s i b l e

. D u e t o t h e i r

r e l a t i v e l y h i g h c o s t a n d n a r r o w s p e c t r u m o f a c t i v i t y

, t h e s e p e s t i c i d e s r e q u i r e h i g h i n f o r m a t i o n i n p u t f

r o m

c o m p e t e n t s c o u t s

. I n T a b l e 2

, f u n g i c i d e u s e i s a g a i n b a s e d o n t h e s a m e r a i n y w e a t h e r s c e n a r i o

. H o w e v e r

, i n

T a b l e 2

, t h e c h o i c e o f i n s e c t i c i d e s i s m a d e i n t h e a b s e n c e o f s c o u t i n g r e p o r t s o n k e y d a t e s

. I n t h i s s c e n a r i o

,

s c o u t s d o n o t h a v e t h e a b i l i t y t o e n t e r f i e l d s b e f o r e t h e r e s t r i c t e d e n t r y p e r i o d h a s p a s s e d

. T h e i m p a c t o n a p r o g r a m o f s c o u t i n g v i s i t s s c h e d u l e d f o r t w i c e e a c h w e e k b e g i n n i n g a t p l a n t i n g a n d e x t e n d i n g

t h r o u g h t h e e n d o f h a r v e s t i n g a c t i v i t i e s i s s u m m a r i z e d i n T a b l e 3

. I n t e r e s t i n g l y

, t h e d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e i m p a c t o f

t h e p e s t i c i d e p r o g r a m o n s c o u t i n g a c t i v i t i e s i s n e g l i g i b l e

. I n b o t h s c e n a r i o s

, t h e m a j o r i m p a c t o n s c o u t i n g c o m e s

f r o m t h e l o n g r e s t r i c t e d e n t r y i n t e r v a l s f o r t h e f u n g i c i d e s

, B r a v o

, M a n c o z e b a n d c o p p e r h y d r o x i d e

. I n t h e

a b s e n c e o f e f

f e c t i v e c o n t r o l s a l t e r n a t i v e s f o r t h e m o s t d e s t r u c t i v e F l o r i d a t o m a t o d i s e a s e s

, b a c t e r i a l s p o t a n d

t a r g e t s p o t

, t h i s s i t u a t i o n i s n o t l i k e l y t o c h a n g e i n t h e n e a r f u t u r e !

T w e n t y t w o p e r c e n t o f t h e s c o u t i n g v i s i t s t o t h i s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e f i e l d w o u l d b e b a r r e d b e c a u s e o f t h e r e s t r i c t e d

e n t r y r e q u i r e m e n t s

. O n 4 4 % o f t h e s c h e d u l e d v i s i t s

, s c o u t i n g w o u l d o n l y b e a l l o w e d i n t h e u n s p r a y e d p o r t i o n o f

t h e p l a n t i n g

. T h e r e m a i n i n g 3 4 % o f s c o u t i n g v i s i t s w o u l d b e u n r e s t r i c t e d b y t h e r e s t r i c t e d e n t r y i n t e r v a l

. T h i s

s i t u a t i o n i s c l e a r l y u n a c c e p t a b l e

. T o m a k e t h i n g s e v e n w o r s e

, d u r i n g p e r i o d s w h e n r a i n f a l l r e q u i r e s s h o r t e n i n g

t h e i n t e r v a l b e t w e e n f

u n g i c i d e a p p l i c a t i o n s

, t h e p l a n t i n g c o u l d p o t e n t i a l l y b e s c o u t e d o n l y i n p a r t o r n o t a t a l l f o r

p e r i o d s o f u p t o 1 2 d a y s !

T h e g r o w e r i s v i r t u a l l y f

o r c e d t o a b a n d o n t h e u s e o f r e d u c e d r i s k p e s t i c i d e s i n f a v o r o f t h e b r o a d

- s p e c t r u m

i n s e c t i c i d e s

, L a n n a t e

, M o n i t o r a n d T h i o d a n

. T h e m o r e f r e q u e n t u s e o f t h e s e p e s t i c i d e s e n t a i l s a d d i n g t h e p r o d u c t

, T r i g a r d

, f o r c o n t r o l o f l e a f

m i n e r s

, s i n c e t h e b e n e f

i c i a l i n s e c t c o m p l e x t h a t w o u l d n o r m a l l y h a v e b r o u g h t a b o u t

l e a f m i n e r c o n t r o l i n t h e l a t t e r p a r t o f t h e c r o p h a v e b e e n k i l l e d b y t h e b r o a d s p e c t r u m i n s e c t i c i d e s

. S u c h a

c h a n g e

, i

. e

. , t h e u s e o f r e l a t i v e l y i n e x p e n s i v e b r o a d

- s p e c t r u m p e s t i c i d e s

, w o u l d p r o b a b l y n o t c h a n g e t h e o v e r a l l

c o s t o f t h i s g r o w e r ’ s s p r a y p r o g r a m

. H o w e v e r

, t w o o f t h e s e a r e c a r b a m a t e a n d o r g a n o p h o s p h a t e i n s e c t i c i d e s

,

w h i c h m a y p o t e n t i a l l y b e e l i m i n a t e d b y F Q P A a c t i v i t i e s

. S h o u l d t h i s o c c u r

, t h e g r o w e r w o u l d b e f a c e d w i t h t h e

e x p e n s i v e p r o p o s i t i o n o f m a k i n g m o r e f r e q u e n t a p p l i c a t i o n s o f r e l a t i v e l y e x p e n s i v e m a t e r i a l s s u c h a s A p p l a u d

, K n a c k

, S p i n t o r a n d c o n f

i r m t o m a n a g e s i l v e r l e a f w h i t e f l i e s a n d a r m y w o r m s

. T h e r e v o c a t i o n o f e x e m p t i o n f r o m

r e s t r i c t e d e n t r y r e g u l a t i o n s f o r c r o p a d v i s o r s w o u l d t h u s h a v e s e v e r a l u n d e s i r a b l e o u t c o m e s :

• G r o w e r s w o u l d r e c e i v e o n l y p a r t i a l c r o p a n d p e s t i n f o r m a t i o n f

r o m t h e i r s c o u t s

.

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a l t e r n a t i v e s i n t h e a b s e n c e o f t i m e l y p e s t e v a l u a t i o n s n e e d e d t o m a k e b e s t u s e o f r e d u c e d r i s k p e s t i c i d e s

. I n

t h i s s c e n a r i o

, t h e e c o n o m i c d a m a g e t o t h e g r o w e r i s n e g l i g i b l e

.

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, t h e g r o w e r

c o u l d p o t e n t i a l l y l o s e $ 1 5 0

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p r o d u c t s

.

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u l

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.

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 2 5 T o c o n c l u d e

, I P M i n F l o r i d a t o m a t o e s w o u l d b e a f f e c t e d i n a s e r i o u s l y n e g a t i v e w a y b y t h e r e v o c a t i o n o f t h e

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. E x c e p t i o n s o c c u r w h e n a

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g i v e n v i s i t

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.MonitoringProfilesReport-NAICC2/17/2005Page26Table1.AhypotheticalsprayprogramanditseffectsonscoutingactivitiesforatypicalfalltomatoplantinginsouthFlorida.Figuresbeloweachpesticideindicatetherestrictedentryintervalfollowingapplication.Inthenoentrycolumns=entryonlyintheunsprayedportionoftheplantingonthedayofapplication,x=noentry.Scoutingbeginsonthedayofplantingandisscheduledtwiceaweek,i.e.,on3-and4-dayintervals.DayScheduledscoutingvisitNoentryBravoCopperhydroxideManzateMethylbromide/chloropicrinGramoxoneSencorAdmireAgrimekApplaudAsanaBtConfirmKnackSoapSpintor1s482x3x4567s24128x91011121314151617181920210.5s1222s2424423x24x25s2424426x2728x29s242424430x310.5s2424432x33s2424434x350.5s2424436x37380.5s2424439x4041420.5s2424443x44s24244450x46s2424447xMonitoringProfilesReport-NAICC2/17/2005Page274849x50s2424451x52x5354s2424455x56x5758s24244590x6061s2424462x63x64s4812465x660x67s2424468x69700.5s4841271x72x730.5s2424474x7576770.5s48478x79x800.5s242412481x82s2424483x840.5s481285x86x870.5s2424488x8990910.5s48492x93x940.5s2424495x9697s48412980x99s24244100x1010.5s484MonitoringProfilesReport-NAICC2/17/2005Page28102x103x104s48441050x106x107s12108x109110s24244111x112x113114s48441150x116x117118119x120121s242441220x123124125126x127128129x130Table2.AhypotheticalsprayprogramforatypicalfalltomatoplantinginsouthFloridaasaffectedbythelackofscoutingreportsresultingfromrevocationoftheexemptionfromrestrictedentryrequirementsoftheWPS.Figuresbeloweachpesticideindicatetherestrictedentryintervalfollowingapplication.Inthenoentrycolumns=entryonlyintheunsprayedportionoftheplantingonthedayofapplication,x=noentry.Scoutingbeginsonthedayofplantingandisscheduledtwiceaweek,i.e.,on3-and4-dayintervals.DayScheduledscoutingvisitNoentryBravoCopperhydroxideManzateMethylbromide/chloropicrinGramoxoneSencorAdmireAgrimekAsanaBtLannateMonitorSoapThiodanTrigard1s482x3x4567s24128xMonitoringProfilesReport-NAICC2/17/2005Page299101112131415161718192021xs1222s2424423x24x25s2424426x2728x29s242424430x31xs24244832x33x2424434x35xs24244836x37x38xs2424439x404142xs24244843x44x24244MonitoringProfilesReport-NAICC2/17/2005Page3045xx46x24244847x48x49x50s2424451x52x5354s2424455x56x5758s2424459xx6061s2424462x63x64s48124865x66xx67s2424468x6970xs481244871x72x73xs2424474x757677xs4842478x79x80xs2424412MonitoringProfilesReport-NAICC2/17/2005Page3181x82s2424483x84xs484885x86x87xs242488x899091xs48492x93x94xs242412495x9697s484898xx99x24244100x101xs4848102x103x104s4844105xx106x107s12108x109110s24244111x112X113114s4844115Xx116xMonitoringProfilesReport-NAICC2/17/2005Page32117118119X120121s24244122Xx123124125126X127128129X130Table3.TheimpactofWPSrestrictedentryregulationsonscheduledscoutingactivitiesforatypicalfalltomatoplantinginsouthFlorida.ImpactofsprayprogramandrestrictedentryintervalsonscoutingactivitiesNumberofscheduledscoutingvisitsaffectedNoScoutEntry7Scoutinginunsprayedpartofplantingonly14Unrestrictedscouting11

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 3 3 P a r t i c i p a n t s

T a s k F o r c e M e m b e r s E

- m a i l P h o n e

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. c o m ( 9 0 1 ) 8 6 1

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. c o m 2 1 8

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. c o m ( 4 1 3 ) 3 6 7

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. c o m ( 2 5 2 ) 9 7 5

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N u m e r o u s o t h e r c o n s u l t a n t s h e l p e d w i t h d a t a c o l l e c t i o n

, b u t w i l l n o t b e a c k n o w l e d g e d

.

T h a n k s t o e v e r y o n e f

o r a l l t h e i r g o o d w o r k !

### M o n i t o r i n g P r o f i l e s R e p o r t

- N A I C C 2 / 1 7 / 2 0 0 5

P a g e 3 4 O t h e r t h i n g s t h a t w e t a l k e d a b o u t p r o v i d i n g

, b u t d i d n o t

... . 1

. V e r b i a g e t h a t t o d a y ’ s s c o u t i n g t i m e s ( i n c o t t o n ) a r e l e s s t h a n w h a t t h e y w e r e 1 0 y e a r s a g o ( R a y Y o u n g ’ s

B o l l W e e v i l e x a m p l e )

2

. N u m b e r o f d a y s a f

t e r a p p l i c a t i o n ( o r d a y s i n t o R E I ) t h e f i e l d i n s p e c t i o n s a r e p e r f

o r m e d

3

. H o w m a n y a c r e s e a c h c o n s u l t a n t o n t h i s t a s k f o r c e c o n s u l t s o n

4

. W h a t % o f e a c h c r o p i s p r o f e s s i o n a l l y c o n s u l t e d o n

5

. T i m e l i n e o f c r o p d e v e l o p m e n t a s i t r e l a t e s t o p e s t i c i d e u s e

6

. T y p i c a l p e s t s a t e a c h c r o p s t a g e

7

. W e a t h e r d a t a

, w h i c h a f f e c t s r e s i d u e

8

. D a t a s h e e t o n s c o u t s

, i n c l u d i n g c l o t h i n g

, a g e

, e d u c a t i o n l e v e l

, e x p e r i e n c e

, t r a i n i n g

9

. V i d e o o f a c t u a l s c o u t i n g p r o c e d u r e s a t v a r i o u s s t a g e s o f c r o p d e v e l o p m e n t"Rod Elmstrand"

<elmst002@umn.edu>

10/08/2008 02:59 PM To Caryn Muellerleile/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

cc

bcc

Subject RE:comments on EPA rules' small business impacts due

Thurs 10/9

I read through the attachments that you sent me, WPS is a problem on small

farms, as is pointed out in the attachments 98% farms may be considered small.

Here are some comments.

1. Is there a way for us to differentiate or define small farms. What may be

a small farm in California will likely be a very large farm in Minnesota.

I would suggest that family farms where the family puts in 75% of the labor

and management should have a different set of rules than farms that are

managed and staffed with hired labor.

2. Training short term workers is a time financial burden for small farmers.

If growers are producing a crop were there is no RUP spray applications needed

during harvest, then I would recommend that these short term employees not be

trained. The crew supervisor should be trained to properly supervise the

harvesting operation.

3. Verbal notification of applications should be all that is needed with small

farms where the labor force is less than 10 non-family persons per farm and in

places where workers are not involved in the direct application/handling of

the pesticides.

Rod Elmstrand

Subject: reminder: comments on EPA rules' small business impacts due Thurs

10/9

Dear Small Entity Representative:

Thank you for your participation in the September 25 outreach meeting on

Worker Protection Standards for Agricultural Pesticides & Certification

of Pesticide Applicators. If you have not yet had the opportunity to do

so, we are accepting written comments on impacts the potential

rulemakings may have on your small business until close of business

Thursday, October 9. We are happy to accept your written comments even

if you were unable to participate in the teleconference meeting.

Please send your written comments to me and I will distribute them to

all Panel members.

Caryn Muellerleile

Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (1806A)

Washington, DC 20460

Phone: (202) 564-2855

Fax: (202) 564-0965

muellerleile.caryn@epa.govJoe Hogue/DC/USEPA/US

10/02/2008 11:53 AM To Caryn Muellerleile/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

cc

bcc

Subject Fw: Comments from September 25 meeting

Caryn -

I just received the 1st written comment since the panel outreach meeting. You may want to forward it to

SBA & OMB before today's meeting, in case they could use it.

Thanks,

Joe Hogue

EPA, Office of Pesticide Programs

FEAD/PRSB (7506C)

phone: Tues, Wed, Thurs > (703) 308-9072

Mon. & Fri. > (804) 448-8027

----- Forwarded by Joe Hogue/DC/USEPA/US on 10/02/2008 11:51 AM -----

"John Hester"

< j hester@nicholsag.com>

10/02/2008 12:10 PM To Joe Hogue/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

cc

Subject Comments from September 25 meeting

Joe, I’m not very good with a computer and have the wrong date in the title, however, you will see that

the comments are from the power point presentation from our last meeting. Call me if you have any

questions.

J

ohn F. Hester

Owner/Manager

Nichols Ag

319-723-4221

319-631-1969

jhester @ nicholsag

. com

### Small Business Advocacy Review Panel

Outreach meeting

– September 25,2008

Comments from John Hester, Owner

‐ Nichols Agriservice, Nichols, Iowa

General Overview and Perspective

My perspective is from over 35 years of recommending, selling, applying

and training private and commercial applicators in Iowa where almost all activity

is in corn and soybean production. Over 80% of all pesticide applications are done

by commercial applicators like my company and the only people involved or close

to the field are my applicators and the farmer. It should also be noted that

because the Iowa economy is based on ag

, rules and regulations concerning

safety and proper application have been utilized for many years.

In reading your documentation for the need for more regulation, it appears

that most of the input came from states that are involved in many specialty, high

maintenance crops requiring more in

‐ filed activity by non

‐ family farmers or

commercial applicators.

Certification of Pesticide Applicators

There is a large difference between the skill and training of the commercial

and private applicator. Since commercial applicators apply a large percentage of

pesticides, their business success requires experienced and safe applicators and

constant training. The term “under supervision” does not apply since the licensed

applicator is the person in the field doing all the spraying. “Under supervision

does become important to the family farmer who may ask a family member to

apply pesticides and occasionally there are mistakes made due to a lack of

experience and training. I do not believe that anyone under the age of 18 should

be allowed to handle or apply pesticides even though 30% of my pesticide sales

are applied by family farmers and I am aware that the 16 year old son or daughter

may actually be the loader/mixer and applicator. These products are too

expensive and too complicated for a young person to fully comprehend.

1

### Field Posting

It is common practice for a commercial applicator to place a copy of WPS

guidelines at the field entrance after an application. My family farmers do not do

this since they will likely be the only worker of any kind in the field during the REI

period and the practical use of posting by the commercial applicator is to signify

to the family farmer that the intended application is complete and the next

planned field activity can occur. Over 80% of the fields where pesticide

applications occur have 1 or 2 field entrances and they are both on the road side

of the field. Posting 4 corners of someone’s yard or lawn may be appropriate

since they are open on most sides but posting all 4 corners of a farmer’s field

would be a complete waste of time since there are no entrances to the field other

than the 1 or 2 that everyone utilizes. Not only would 4 corners posting be a

wasted activity, it would add as much as 20% time to that field activity and would

require traveling over and possibly damaging portions of the planted field to

complete the process.

I can see a need for posting 1 common side of the field with WPS posting if

the field will require non

‐ family workers such as de

‐ tasselers or hand pickers in

the fruit and vegetable parts of the country

It has been difficult for me to get my applicators to leave these WPS sheets

at the field entrance since most of my customers never read them, but we could

do better.

Decontamination Supplies

Eyewash stations are only practical at permanent mix sites due to winter

freezing and the large amount of very small fields and tremendous cost of the

piping that would be required. We have found that giving an applicator a water

bottle that fits into the shirt product works much better and is adequate in

irrigating eyes until the effected person can move to a family farmer’s home or

commercial applicator’s facility.

Emergency showers seem to be popular at commercial mixing stations but are

almost never used. I have personally helped 2 different employees use one of

2

### these showers and the shock of the cold water was much worse than the

chemical on the skin. Regular shower stalls should be available at the mixing site

and are common at over 99% of these sites in the mid

‐ west.

Cholinesterase Testing

Less than 2% of the applications of pesticides used in corn or beans involve

insecticides that are Cholinesterase. Inhibitors and even though I have had 1

employee become ill back years ago when these products were popular, the

chlor. Test revealed little since there was no background test performed before

the incident. We have found little need for these types of products since safer and

more efficacious products are more plentiful today and are less expensive.

Charcoal Filtered Cabs

All of my application equipment have charcoal filters. These spray rigs cost

about $200,000 and have very good, air conditioned cabs and with regular

replacement of filters, are very effective in keeping out vapors or bad air or any

chemical. There is a huge difference between these rigs and the open tractors

that I see operating in the warmer climates where fruit and vegetables are grown.

Size Exemptions

Sheer number of people entering any field at any one time or in a seasonal

total can differentiate in the need for some regulation. Almost 100% of corn,

soybean, wheat and other commodity grown fields are never entered during an

REI period or any other time other than 1 or 2 commercial applicators or 2

‐ 3

family farmer members. However, seed production fields in the mid

‐ west and

specialty, high

‐ maintenance crop fields usually have more than 10 workers in a

field at any one time and care is needed to insure that fields are posted on 1 side

for the REI period

Conclusion

It should be noted that persons with a vested interest in proper and safe

applications are inherently better suited in compliance and overall stewardship. A

farmer will not likely ask one of his children to do something that may harm that

34 

### person or the environment where they live, so too with the commercial applicator

who makes a living at doing things like spraying and recommending pesticide

practices.

Thank You

John HesterREEDFLY@aol.com

10/09/2008 07:34 PM To Caryn Muellerleile/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

cc

bcc

Subject Re: reminder: comments on EPA rules' small business

impacts due Thurs 10/9

Thank you, Caryn. I have attached my comments as a Word document to this e-mail.

Rick

New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your destination. Dining, Movies, Events, News &

more. Try it out !October 9, 2008

Alexander Cristofaro

c/o Caryn Muellerleile

1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW

MC 1806A

Washington, DC 20460

muellerleile.caryn@epa.gov

Dear Mr. Cristofaro:

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the forthcoming regulatory proposals. I shall keep my

comments brief.

Applicator Certification Rule (Restricted Use Pesticides)

1. Illinois requires testing in specific categories every 3 years for commercial applicators. I

personally take 7 different tests every tree years to remain qualified to do my job. In states that

do not require repetitive testing, but rely upon Continuing Education programs, I anticipate that

the certification categories you suggest would be taught and tested as part on their ongoing

program.

2. The applicator minimum age proposal will not adversely affect those businesses who employ

commercial applicators because my industry uses aircraft for our applications. We already have

minimum age requirements for obtaining a commercial pilot’s license.

3. We are not required to pay a fee (in Illinois) for taking the required tests, all of which are closed

book, and proctored. Expense incurred in traveling to an exam site is really impossible to

categorize and estimate for everyone involved.

Worker Protection Standard (Workers and handlers in plant agriculture)

1. The suggestion that requirements for additional posting of REI are being considered is truly

interesting. I understand the rationale is to make sure “everyone” is adequately warned if a

field has been treated. Realistically, the only individuals who are supposed to be entering that

field are legal workers who have been instructed to enter at “the usual point of entry.” Other

individuals who might choose to enter the field from any direction are, in my opinion,

trespassing. The WPS were written to protect workers and not trespassers. Other specific

comments are:

i) I doubt the rationale that trespassers would only choose to enter a field at the corners.

ii) If the corners of a field are inaccessible by road, path, etc. would the posting still be

required?

iii) Time for posting would be considerable. For example a typical 160 acre square field with 4

distinct corners would necessitate a walk of 2 miles to place the signs. Some of the fields

personally treat are considerable larger than that. The 15 minutes assumed by EPA is based

on what?iv) Consider the posting of very small fields of fruits and/or vegetables i.e. 1

‐ 2 acres. Posting

the signs would take considerably less time than large fields, but to what advantage? You

could stand in one place and be within 100 feet of every sign posted.

v) Some fields have considerably more than 4 corners and some don’t have any corners at all.

Where do you propose posting additional signs on a round, center pivot irrigated field?

vi) The requirement would be extremely time

2. The requirement of a no

‐ entry zone of any distance would have no effect because applications

are prohibited if any personnel, workers or otherwise, are present at the site of application.

3. It would not be a burden to maintain a pesticide MSDS file because we are already required to

have MSDS information available. Adding a requirement that MSDS sheets be posted for

viewing is possible but futile. They would simply never be utilized. The pertinent information a

worker may be interested in is found on the EPA approved label that accompanies every product

applied.

4. The proposed requirement to force the wearing of a respirator in a closed, sealed cab is without

foundation, would cause undue hardship and discomfort, and possibly magnify the potential for

inadvertent contamination. I have to question the motive here. During the teleconference, I

heard that research has shown an enclosed cab’s filtration system is less effective than a well

designed, correctly fitted, clean respirator. I’m not surprised by that. I also have no doubt that a

full decontamination suit, complete with bottled breathing air and a full face airtight helmet

provides greater protection than the simple respirator. What exactly is the problem we’re trying

to fix? I propose that the enclosed cabs in use today are sufficient protection. Do we have

statistics that show workers are becoming ill while making an application from an enclosed cab?

If so, than the circumstances of that exposure should be studied and then remedied.

Respectfully,

Rick Reed

Reed’s Fly

‐ On Farming"webbfarm@netzero.net"

<webbfarm@netzero.net>

10/03/2008 03:08 PM To Caryn Muellerleile/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

cc

bcc

Subject Re: Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides

and Certifi cation of Pesticide Applicators - Small

Business Advocacy Review Panel Outreach Meeting

Invitation and Materials for Small Entity Representa

tives



### Mr. Cristofaro,

I apologize for my abscence from the Sept 25 teleconference. I have reviewed the materials sent

out and I feel that my original comments from the June meeting sufficiently outline my positions

on these proposals. I am resending those comments as an attachment for reference. I hope that is

adequate participation on my behalf to aid in this panel's conclusions. Again, I apologize for the

conflict in schedules and offer my continued support and assistance on these issues.

Clint Webb

### Clint J. Webb

Webb Farms

6430 Dixie-Barwick Rd.

Boston, GA 31626

Family farm: cotton, peanuts, corn, hay

Commercial Applicat or personal use only

One employee

June 30, 2008 Potential SER Outreach Meeting Follow up

Adding certification categories for commercial applicators:

Here in Georgia we already take two tests to become certified commercial applicators;

one is general pesticide safety and worker prot ection standards and the other is specific to

one of over 16 subcategories. The tests ar e proctored, closed book and only given at

approved locations and times around the state. This can sometimes limit when a person

may get certified, but it seems to be working fine today. I think th is is the appropriate

way to do it and any standardization on the na tional level would be an improvement.

Applicator minimum age:

I am not comfortable with the EPA establishi ng a generic minimum age for applicators. I

personally know forty year old men that ar e not capable of applying RUPs and also

twelve year olds that are fully capable a nd mature enough for the job. I personally started

applying RUPs as early as 12 or 13, and I know some around that will use guys 16 or

possibly younger. Speaking as a small family farm, we regularly use family labor that

may be young for such jobs. They have been familiar with such tasks and are supervised

by a licensed adult. Without the option for such labor, we would either have to rely only

on the certified applicators to do the work or be forced to hire additional help of an older

age. Both scenarios would add unnecessary expense to the operation and/or delay

pesticide applications which will result in yield reductions. I think the certified applicator

should be competent enough to determine if an individual is capable of safely applying

the chemical.

I also feel there should be no minimum age on who can receive a pesticide license;

whether private or commercial. The test should be of the calib er to address that concern.

If one is capable of learning and understanding the concepts on the written test then they

should be given the rights that come with th at knowledge. If I am working a 12 or 15 or

25 year old employee, I would much rather they go take the private a pplicator test and be

certified than they simply be under my supe rvision just because th ey have not crossed

some arbitrary age threshold. I feel that in preparing for that test they will undoubtedly

pick up important information on how to react to a situation that I may have overlooked

because it is second nature to me as an experienced applicator.

### Applying RUPs under the supervision of Certified Applicators:

I have one employee that is not a certified applicator. He works under my supervision and

that of my dad, who is a private applicator. This employee has been with us for 23 years

and is perhaps more familiar with pesticid es that many recently passing the test. There

are many farmers in the area that have a pplicators working under supervision. These

employees are trained typically by the supervising applicator. I think there is no reason a

licensed applicator cannot do the training. I do not have a pr oblem with a more specific

training program. It would be good to have a clear set of crit eria that should be covered

when doing employee training, but it should be done in house. I do not feel that it is

necessary to carry employees off farm or bri ng in additional staff fo r training. That again

adds expense to the operation.

Supervisors often range from being in the field with the applicator, perhaps on

another piece of equipment, to being in th e area, often checking in regularly as they

manage multiple workers in different area. Having a means of instant communications is

a great idea. Those that have two-way radios and cell phones certainly have an advantage,

but it seems to be an overreach to require su ch devices. Such issues that may come up

and need communications should be handled in the training. I understand that things

happen, but a well trained employee should have been told ahead how to deal with

situations like spills or contamination. We have some cell phones and some radios, but

we are not covered in all areas at all times. I like to be in communication with my help,

but there are times and equipment that is not currently possible. To make it so would be

an added expense of several hundred if not t housands of dollars in equipment and future

subscriptions.

Worker Protection Standard

Training:

Properly training employees is very important to both their safety as well the functioning

of the company. It is important that they be trained thoroughly and promptly. However,

the current grace period is essential to allo w time for new employee training. I find it

basically impossible to verify training so any new employee undergoes training, but it

really helps to have the fl exibility to know it can be wo rked around our busy schedules

rather than having to stop some vital task to perform the training. That is especially true

since I do my own training. As I said earlier , I think the training criteria should be

clarified and would even like to see a consis tent, concise training ma nual so that I know I

have covered everything necessary.

I do not agree with shortening the retraini ng interval. In Georgia, my license has

to be renewed every 5 years. If that is e nough for a commercial applicators license then it

is enough for worker training. We have no turn over, I know several that have very low if

any turnover; I would hate to see regulation geared toward hi gh turnover operations that

simply puts us going over the same ground time after time. Each employer will have to

do new training as his labor situation demands , but to retrain current employees more

often than 5 years is simply unnecessary.

### Restricted Entry Intervals (REI):

Here in Georgia we currently have to pos t a warning sign after applying RUPs. The sign

is a standard written and pictorial sign issuing a warning of danger to stay out. They are

to be posted for the duration of the REI. Pu tting the signs up as you l eave the field is not

a great burden, however, keeping track of different fields and times so they are not left up

unnecessarily can be time consuming. We only ha ve to place the signs at the entry to the

field. Currently dealing only with RUPs, for crops like cotton or peanuts we will typically

have to post a field five times a year. Propos als to require posting on all pesticides having

an REI would dramatically increase that num ber to as much as 30 or 40 for crops like

cotton. The task of keeping up with posti ng time and expiration times would be

tremendous. For our small operation, only about 500 acres in cotton, it could take one

person up to one hour each day just riding and updating posting signs. Add to that the

cost of the gas and the vehicle and you just spent $25 a day in added costs all the while

that worker is not doing so me other important task.

There are two concerns with having to add the chemical name and REI expiration

to the sign. One, the signs become consum able rather than reusable because the

chemicals and times change with each posting. Two, with the chemical name present, you

open the sigh to interpretation by employees ra ther than it standing alone as clearly “do

not enter”.

The signs we currently use displa y a red octagon and a man with a hand

indicating stop. These symbols work to convey the information of restricted access. Other

suggestions such as the skull and crossbones would be much less effective as they do not

simply say stay out but rather convey a me ssage of impending danger; which is not the

case with these pesticides so long as the REI is honored.

We discussed guidelines for posting signs in fields. I firmly believe it is only

necessary to post such signs at logical points of entry. There is no reason to have to place

signs along perimeters or other configurati ons around a field. The signs are there to

inform authorized personnel and chance entrants of the dangers in th e field; we are not

trying to barricade the field with them. Pos tings in general, but especially any such

regulation would have added effect on small farmers. Typically as farm size decreases

average field size decreases. Under either scen ario, the small farmer will have to put out

more signs and spend more time per acre than a larger farm.

For example, on 500 acres with average fi eld size of 30 acres, I would have to

post 17 signs just at entrances. Add perimete r signage and you can increase that number

by 10 to 100 fold. By comparison, take a farmer with 5000 acres of cotton with an

average field size of 250 acres, he will post 20 signs, but each sign will cover three times

as many acres as the small farmer. Also, in the case of perimeter postings, the larger the

field, the fewer perimeter feet per acre equaling fewer signs per treated acre. It just begins

to spiral into unbearable demands of time and manpower.

We rarely need to send in workers ea rlier than the labeled REI. Under such

situations it is important to communicate with the workers that they understand the

proper protections to take. Ther e is no reason such communications must be in writing.

The workers should be verbally informed a bout the restrictions and dangers posed by

entry. Careful records should be kept of wo rkers entering those areas in the event of

adverse effects from exposure.

### Application entry restricted area:

We currently have a policy of not applying pe sticides with people in the immediate area

of the application. There are times that it is ne cessary for a worker to be in the area. We

have several fields with residential ho mes around them. We main tain a good working

relationship with these people a nd inform them of the dangers of the pesticide we use.

With that said, I feel that a no-entry zone for fields and forests is not possible like that of

a contained structure like say a greenhouse. It is not practic al for farmers or homeowners

to force their yard into a no entry zone for an extended period of time. As for workers, it

is important that they stay out of harms way during pesticide applications.

Hazard Communication:

We discuss proper PPE use and cleanup regularly with staff. We monitor their use of

such equipment both visually and verbally to en sure their safety. We make every effort to

provide adequate eye flush water and rinse wa ter at mixing sites. The problem with many

farms is that we have to be mobile. There may be one central shop or office, but for a

farm to be productive the workers are rarely there and even fewer pesticides are used

from there. Decontamination equipment such as soap, towels, and eye flush is kept in the

mix wagon for applicators, but is not efficien t or necessary to have an excessive amount

of it or to mandate a shower system for every operation.

I feel a restriction on the amount of time handlers are allowed to work with OP

and Carbamates is unnecessary. Following approved label PPE should adequately protect

workers for these compounds. If that is not enough protections then the label should be

altered so that it will. If ther e is a limit imposed we could run into a situation of having to

delay pesticide applications th at could reduce crop yields. On the same line, if a label

establishes that an enclosed cab will replace a respirator then let it. If the enclosed cab is

not adequate protection, then w hy were we allowed to use them in the first place? Such

enclosed cabs should be maintained a nd routinely inspecte d with appropriate

recordkeeping, just as respirators or any other piece of PPE should be. I firmly support

safety, but there is no need to have duplication.

Requiring that MSDS be kept for all chemicals used will add many hours of time

spent finding and printing sheets just to be pl aced in a file. You will have the added space

necessary to keep the file. I would much rather have a database online where anyone

could go at anytime to look up MSDS by chem ical name. That way everyone will have

them readily accessible without having to de vote time and space to keeping up with them

on every farm."Tyler Wegmeyer"

<tylerw@fb.org>

10/09/2008 12:03 PM To Caryn Muellerleile/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

cc

bcc

Subject RE: reminder: comments on EPA rules' small business

impacts due Thurs 10/9

Caryn,

Please find my attached comments.

Thanks,

Tyler

Tyler Wegmeyer

American Farm Bureau Federation(r)

600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., STE 1000W

Washington, DC. 20024

202-406-3663

202-445-9630 Cell

tylerw@fb.org

-----Original Message-----

From: Muellerleile.Caryn@epamail.epa.gov

[mailto:Muellerleile.Caryn@epamail.epa.gov]

Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 1:21 PM

To: cvh@centralvalleyheli.com; reedfly@ aol.com; jhester@nicholsag.com;

bilihun@spraytec.com; aaveritt@earthlink.net; dennisb@tvutel.com;

cfemling@aol.com; elmst002@umn .edu; webbfarm@netzero.net;

rmatoian@westernpistachio.org; dasherfarm@alltel.net;

rmetzler@pearsonrealty.com; whjjr30@aol.com; Tyler Wegmeyer;

richard@arbor-nomics.com; kcrenshaw@herbi-systems.com;

lonniealonso@ColumbusPestControlinc.com; anne@royalpest.com;

bruce@csipest.com; jackmarlowe@edenpest.com; mwright@woodpreservers.com

Cc: Hogue.Joe@epamail.epa.gov

Subject: reminder: comments on EPA rules' small business impacts due

Thurs 10/9

Dear Small Entity Representative:

Thank you for your participation in the September 25 outreach meeting on

Worker Protection Standards for Agricultural Pesticides & Certification

of Pesticide Applicators. If you have not yet had the opportunity to do

so, we are accepting written comments on impacts the potential

rulemakings may have on your small business until close of business

Thursday, October 9. We are happy to accept your written comments even

if you were unable to participate in the teleconference meeting.

Please send your written comments to me and I will distribute them to

all Panel members.

Caryn Muellerleile

Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (1806A)

Washington, DC 20460

Phone: (202) 564-2855

Fax: (202) 564-0965muellerleile.caryn@epa.gov

### October 9, 2008

Mr. Alexander Cristofaro

Small Business Advocacy Chair

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

MC 1806A

Washington, DC 20460

RE: U.S. EPA’s Small Business Advocacy Review Panel Comments

Dear Mr. Cristofaro:

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments to EPA’s Small Business Advocacy

Review (SBAR) Panel regarding future proposed rules on the Worker Protection

Standard (WPS) for Agricultural Pesticides and Certification of Pesticide Applicators

(CPA). As the nation’s largest general fa rm and ranch organization, American Farm

Bureau Federation (AFBF) represents individu als and families engaged in all aspects of

production agriculture throughout the 50 States and Puerto Rico. We believe these

comments are representative of the different regions and states across the country.

General:

1. Flexibility is critically important for this type of regulation, primarily due to the

diversity of producers that will be affected. For in stance, a 40-acre vegetable

farm is considered quite large while a 200-ac re row crop farm is considered small.

The 40-acre vegetable farm might well have a full-time employee who did

record- and bookkeeping, maintained permit records, etc. in an administrative

capacity. The 200-acre row crop farm, by c ontrast, would most likely be operated

either by a single producer, or as a fam ily farm where the owner/operator would

work another job off-farm; stringent reco rd keeping in such circumstances is

extremely stressful and time consumi ng and be inordinately burdensome for

family members.

2. In order to be successful, “small entity” would need to be defined for each

different type of farm or producer. It would need to be flexible. Based on the

different types of operations involved, the number of employees would come

closest to determining size of operations. Any regulation of farms with five (5) or

fewer employees would be problematic for record keeping and implementation.

Certification of Pesticide Applicators

Adding Certification Categories for Commercial Applicators

### Certification categories vary state by state. In Iowa, for example the M44 device and

compound 1080 for controlling livestock predator s have not been considered for use. If

there were demand for these types of predator controls where they could be used safely it

would be considered. We would hope that EP A’s new rule would not require states to

develop a category if they have no use for thes e controls at this time. A state should have

the option and flexibility to decide whether th ey need to develop the category or not and

if the need arises in the future then the st ate could move forward to develop the category

according to EPA’s guidelines.

In addition, requiring states to develop additional categories would be a “raising of the

bar” with regard to curriculum and protocol s. Growers are concer ned that it would make

it considerably more difficult to pass the test s, maintain the license and require substantial

more time studying and training to get and ma intain a license. This would also

unnecessarily require more resources by stat e agencies to develop study guides and

training by staff.

Applicator Minimum Age :

1. In some states there are minimum age re quirements for the application of RUP’s

and in other states there is not. Propose d 16 or 18 minimum ages should not have

an impact on commercial applicators. However, there could be an impact on

private applicators in family farm operat ions. We think a pe rson that is 16 should

be allowed to be certified as a private applicator if needed.

2. The minimum age requirement would primarily affect family farms with sons or

daughters who work on the farm. Most family farms trust their own children

more than hired labor because they have been raised on the farm, been taught for

years by their parents how to treat chemi cals and equipment, and have a respect

and sense of responsibility that hired labor might not possess.

3. The family farm that is required to re place a family member would face all the

costs associated with hired labor or ou tsourced commercial applicators. Hired

labor requires a salary, unemployment ta xes and worker compensation taxes.

There is also the cost associated with re liability and the assumption that a certified

worker will show up when needed.

Applying RUP’s under the Supervis ion of Certified Applicator

1. Many states do not require ce rtification to apply RUPs as long as they are under

the supervision of a certified applicator. Some states do require certification but

allow a certain grace period under supe rvision before getting certified.

2. The number of non-certified applicators applying RUPs under supervision will

vary based on the type and size of farm.

3. Requirements vary state by state by state, farm by farm. For example, for large

row crop farms, the supervisor will gene rally be within five miles of the

application site. For smaller farms, the supervisor would be much closer,

anywhere from a couple of hundred yards to two (2) miles.

Instant communication would be conducte d by cell phone, two-way radio or other

device. Estimated costs of providing communication devices would be in the

hundreds of dollars per person.

### In general, we have the following concerns: Requiring supervisor s and applicators to

have “instant” communication would put the ap plicator at risk of pesticide exposure

when trying to use the cell phone , two-way radio, or other de vice. Decontaminating first

would prevent the ability for it to be “instant”. Also, carry ing the label on their person

during application does not increase their safety because they are not going to refer to the

label during the actual applica tion. They would look at the labe l pre- or post- application

to prevent pesticide contamination.

Exam Administration for Commercial Applicators

Exams vary state by state. In Iowa for exampl e, their law requires that both commercial

applicators and private applicators pass a wri tten exam for initial ce rtification. Iowa’s

rules also permit an oral exam for private applicators on a case by case basis. All exams

are proctored, closed book exams. An applicator is permitted to review a failed exam

with the correct answers under s upervision of an exam procto r. They require all persons

taking exams to provide a photo ID.

We believe the states should continue to have the flexibility to decide what type of exam

is required. Positive identification should be required.

Worker Protection Standard (Workers and handlers in plant agriculture)

Training

1. The two (2) day grace period is unacceptabl e. Many of the RUP’s are pre-plant

herbicides, and planting is the most crucial and time-sensitive period of year.

Employee hiring, or start dates, are held off as long as possible to reduce input

cost. If the grace period were reduced, or eliminated, it would require the earlier

hiring of employees and increase input costs $100-$200 per hire.

2. The retraining frequency of every 5 years has been effective in worker safety

while not being an unusual burden for ag ricultural employers. While most

workers are trained every year because of turnover and consistency issues, we do

not support the training in terval being reduced.

3. Currently, most producers probably do not ch eck for training hist ory at the time of

employment. It is important to rememb er that 1) farmers are not recruiting on

college campuses 2) farming is hard work and labor turnover is substantial 3)

most farm labor does not give two week notice when they leave; they just don’t

show up 4) labor is hired just-in-time, therefore the person you hire today was

probably unemployed yesterday.

It is extremely difficult for farmers to find good labor in a timely manner and to get them

the proper training as soon as they are hired. Flexibility is needed. Smaller farmers with

fewer than 5 employees are tremendously busy as each person has tasks that need to be

completed in a timely manner with no extra person around to fill in the gaps. Training

requirements that cause a severe burden and that do not allow important tasks to be

### completed before training is done impos e unacceptable costs without identifiable

benefits. We estimate that in general, training sessions for workers will require 30+

minutes and for handlers 45+ minutes.

Restricted Use Intervals (REI)

WPS warning signs are only needed when the pe sticide label indicates that areas need to

be posted as well as oral warning for workers. Some agricultural sites are posted in lieu

of the oral warnings, as provided for on the pesticide labels. The requirement for both

oral warnings and postings are specific to pe sticide products that pos e a threat to workers

health. Workers are taught to read the label and the information on REI should be

located there. If more information should be needed, the label could direct you to the

WPS.

Central posting of information with either oral or written notice should work adequately.

Farms post on a dry erase or chalk board at a central location which fields have been

sprayed and when. This is a common sense a pproach that works well. Workers frequent

the common area to get the required informa tion. Additional requirements would be time

consuming and costly, and it should be noted th at the time that it takes to place signs by

an employee is time lost to productive activity elsewhere, t hus greatly increasing input

cost to the farmer. It does not make any sens e to require that each corner of the field be

posted. Were that the case, it might serve just as well to rope off the entire field – an

approach which is totally impractical.

It is very time consuming to put up signs. If you have the signs in the spray rig or tractor,

a conservative estimate is that it would take 10 minutes per sign. You have to count the

time from when the machine stops, until you are b ack in the seat. That includes attaching

a stake, and hammering it into the ground. Ag ain, 10 minutes per sign should be used as

a conservative estimate. If the signs are not in the spray rig or trac tor, but are put out by

another supervisor or employee, it would take an estimated 30-45 minutes per sign. It is

important to note that some large fields w ould take 45 minutes or more just to drive

around without placing the signs. In the case of aerial applic ations, the time placing signs

is an additional employee that could be produc tive elsewhere and greatly increases input

cost.

Flexibility is essential to allow the farmer to do what makes the most sense in their

operation to inform workers on REI without compromising worker safety. Smaller

operations have central meeting places where al l types of information exist. Having REI

information at this central spot is adequate.

Application Entry Restricted Area

We are adamantly opposed to a requirement of a no-entry zone around fields. A no-entry

zone would be completely arbitrary and not based on science. Smaller vegetable farms

with small fields would be severely impacted. Not being able to be 100 feet from a field

being sprayed would eliminate potentially being able to be in several adjacent fields.

Significant economic loss from this could occu r as a result of work stoppages and loss of

labor. We do not believe that lack of such a requirement would jeopardize worker safety.

### Hazard Communication

Pesticide labels have the correct PPE for ha ndlers and early entry workers. No other

document should be needed.

Decontamination

Flexibility is needed to address decontamin ation. Requiring a s hower for handlers at

every farm would be a financial burden for many agricultural employers and are simply

not necessary. All farms using pesticides have flush water available. Portable

decontamination showers cost between $5000 and $6000, plus water which would create

an exceptional economic burden for many farms. A better requirement to protect workers

and their family would be to require that workers remove early entry clothing including

foot wear and do not take it home with them.

In summary, we oppose any curtailment of the safe and proper use of agricultural

chemicals unless research and scientific data determine that injury to health and wellbeing would result. EPA conte nds that it is difficult to fu lly meet that standard under

current regulations because there are gaps in protection resulting in unreasonable adverse

health effects for workers and their families and gaps that allow potential for

environmental damage. We do not concur with that assertion. Any new future

requirements should allow state flexibility to address issues and concerns based on

individual state data that pert ain to their crop management sy stems. Federal rules should

not be driven by regional needs or defi ciencies in other state’s programs.

AFBF appreciates the opportunity to s ubmit these comments and looks forward to

continuing discussions with EPA on a ll matters relating to WPS and CPA.

Sincerely,

Tyler Wegmeyer

Director

Congressional Relations

."Morgan Wright"

<MWright@woodpreservers.c

om>

10/07/2008 12:25 PM To Caryn Muellerleile/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

cc

bcc

Subject Written Comments for Alexander Cristofaro in Reference to

09/25/08 Small Business Review Panel Meeting

Mr. Cristofaro,

I would like to submit the following written comments with respect to the Small Business Review Panel

Meeting that was held via conference call on September 25, 2008.

1

‐ I feel that wood preservatives are not within the scope of the agricultural worker

protection standard (40CFR170), and therefore all of the issues related to 40CFR170 are not

applicable to wood preservatives.

2

‐ One issue being look at by this panel, that I feel is relevant to wood preservatives, is the

certification of applicators of restricted use pesticides, rule (40CFR171). In developing a standard

it would be nice to have the re

‐ certification classes be based on subject matter that is relevant

to the use of wood preservatives. In some states wood preservative applicators sit through

classes that are geared toward the use of agriculture pesticides. The application of wood

preservatives in a closed loop system has many differences from the application of agriculture

pesticides in the field.

Thank you for the opportunity participate as a SER.

Morgan Wright

Wood Preservers, Inc.

P.O. Box 158

15939 Historyland Highway

Warsaw, VA 22572

Ph: 804-333-4022

Fax: 804-333-9269