California Ag Network

Tag: Pesticide

  • California Pursues New Health Protections on Chlorpyrifos

    Sacramento, Calif., (August 24, 2017) – The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) announced today that both the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment are pursuing health protections on one of the most widely used agricultural pesticides in the nation, chlorpyrifos.

    The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) released today an updated draft risk assessment for public comment. This action marks the start of a public and scientific review of the document, which could lead to increased restrictions on chlorpyrifos statewide. DPR is currently developing interim restrictions on use of the pesticide and recommendations will be made to county agricultural commissioners next month.

    In addition, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is referring chlorpyrifos for potential listing as a developmental toxicant under Proposition 65. OEHHA today posted an announcement that the state’s Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee will consider the listing of chlorpyrifos at its next public meeting.

    “While chlorpyrifos has been protecting crops for more than 50 years, new information in the scientific community leads us to believe the level of risk it poses is greater than previously known,” said CalEPA Secretary Matthew Rodriquez. “We need to better understand the science to ensure our actions protect public health. The actions we are taking today reflect our commitment to the health and safety of all Californians, and the environment.”

    DPR scientists believe chlorpyrifos may pose a public health risk as a toxic air contaminant based on its assessment of the latest studies in the scientific community. However, this new finding, indicated in the updated draft risk assessment has not been peer reviewed and must go through a public comment period and be independently evaluated by other scientists.

    On Sept. 15, DPR will hold a public workshop on the updated draft risk assessment at the Pesticide Registration and Evaluation Committee meeting in Sacramento.

    After the 45-day written public comment period, which begins today, DPR’s updated draft risk assessment will go before an independent panel of nine scientists known as the Scientific Review Panel (SRP). The thorough review process, which may ultimately lead to more restrictions on use, may conclude in December 2018.

    Next month, DPR will provide county agricultural commissioners with specific interim recommendations, including:

    • Increasing distances between sites where the chemical is applied and sensitive locations, such as homes and schools. These would be specific to each type of application method.
    • New restrictions on methods used to apply chlorpyrifos.

    OEHHA will soon open a written public comment period on scientific materials that describe the evidence for the developmental toxicity of chlorpyrifos. OEHHA will provide the materials and the written public comments to the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee. The committee is an independent panel of 10 scientific experts that determines whether chemicals are added to the Proposition 65 list as causing birth defects and other reproductive harm. The committee will also consider public comments presented at its November 29 meeting.

    If the committee adds chlorpyrifos to the Proposition 65 list as a developmental toxicant, businesses that knowingly cause exposures above minimum levels must provide a Proposition 65 warning.

    DPR’s updated draft risk assessment and other documents relating to chlorpyrifos are available at:

    http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/whs/active_ingredient/chlorpyrifos.htm

    OEHHA’s notice of the Nov. 29 meeting of the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee concerning chlorpyrifos is available at: www.oehha.ca.gov.

  • Safe Food Alliance Hosts Pesticide Safety Training, April 21

    Pesticides play a unique role in environmental protection. California’s approach is based on a strong scientific foundation and has built the most comprehensive state pesticide regulation program in the nation to ensure that pesticides are used safely.  DFA’s Safe Food Alliance will be hosting a Pesticide Safety Training on April 21, 2017 in Yuba City (Plaza Room, 210 Julie Dr.), 7:00 am – 5:00 pm, for growers, processors, hullers and dryers. In this full day, eight-hour course, attendees will receive continuing education credits for laws and regulations and other hours. This will be accompanied with lunch and networking opportunities.  For more information and to register, visit SafeFoodAlliance.com.

  • California Announces Revised Proposed Rules on Agricultural Pesticide Use Near Schools and Child Day-care Centers

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 22, 2017) – The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) released a revised proposal for regulating the use of agricultural pesticides near school sites and licensed child day care facilities.  The department is inviting the public to comment on the revisions during a 15-day period.

    The revised draft regulation reflects extensive public input received during the most recent round of public review, which included three formal hearings and ended in December. The original proposal was issued in September 2016, after the department held a series of public workshops in five locations around the state.

    The proposed regulation would provide an extra measure of protection to public K-12 school sites and licensed child day care facilities from the risk of short-term pesticide exposure, and help increase communication between growers and school sites/licensed child day care facilities. It would also assist these sites in responding to inquiries and potential incidents.

    We believe this regulation will provide Californians with probably the most robust protection in the nation for schoolchildren when agricultural pesticides are applied near their school. It simply makes it more difficult to create an unacceptable pesticide hazard at a school site.

    The proposed regulation will affect about 3,500 public K-12 schools and licensed child day care facilities and involve approximately 2,500 growers in California. While many counties in California currently have varying requirements for notification of certain pesticide applications near schools, the proposed regulation would be the first statewide standard.

    The key revisions to the proposed regulation include:

    Growers will not be required to notify school sites/licensed child day care facilities and the county agricultural commissioners (CACs) of pesticide applications made within a quarter mile of these facilities 48 hours before they occur. However, growers will still be required to provide annual notification of the pesticides expected to be applied within a quarter mile of these facilities.  See example

    The revision also clarifies the definition of “school site” and other terms: For example, it makes clear that the regulations do not apply to school buses or vehicles not on school property, and that County Agricultural Commissioners (CACs) may identify an adjacent park used regularly by schools on the weekdays as part of a school site.

    The regulation is anticipated to become effective January 1, 2018.

    A summary of the highlights of the revised school regulation is available here .

    Any interested person can submit written comments on the proposed revisions to the regulation between March 20, 2017 and 5:00 p.m. on April 4, 2017 to  dpr16004@cdpr.ca.gov. Comments may also be faxed or mailed to Ms. Linda Irokawa-Otani, Regulations Coordinator, Department of Pesticide Regulation, 1001 I Street, P.O. Box 4015, Sacramento, California 95812-4015. FAX: (916) 324-1491.

    The proposed regulation would:

    • Prohibit many pesticide applications within a quarter mile of public K-12 schools and child day care facilities from Monday through Friday between 6am and 6pm. These include all applications by aircraft, sprinklers, air-blast sprayers, and all fumigant applications. In addition, most dust and powder pesticide applications, such as sulfur, would be prohibited during this time.
    • Require California growers to annually notify public K-12 schools and licensed child day care facilities and the CAC about the pesticides expected to be used within a quarter mile of school sites and licensed child day care facilities.

    Each annual notification, PDF (846 kb) must list the pesticides expected to be used during the upcoming July through June period. This list must be provided to the school principal or child day care facility administrator by April 30 each year.

    The notice must include among other things:

    • The name of pesticide products (and the main active ingredient) to be used
    • A map showing the location of the field to be treated
    • Contact information for the grower/operator and the CAC
    • The website address for the National Pesticide Information Center where additional information on pesticides may be obtained

    The regulation also includes a provision that allows flexibility to accommodate extracurricular activities and other factors. Public K-12 schools /licensed child day care facilities and growers may develop alternative arrangements that provide equal or more protection than the regulation, but it must be in writing and approved by the CAC.

  • 2017 Pesticide Safety Instructor Training Workshops

    Sacramento, Calif., (January 13, 2017) – UC IPM is partnering with AgSafe to offer up-to-date instructor training programs that are approved and co-funded by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). Updates to the Federal Worker Protection Standard (WPS) that will have the most impact on CA agriculture include:
• Annual pesticide safety training for all fieldworkers
• Instructors must attend an updated and approved Train-the-Trainer course, and
• Expanded training content for fieldworkers and handlers

Participants who complete this training will become qualified to provide pesticide safety training to fieldworkers and pesticide handlers, as required by California state regulations and the revised Federal Worker Protection Standard (WPS). Visit the workshop website for specific date/location information and to register. 
Spring 2017 Pesticide Safety T2 workshops

    Spring 2017 Pesticide Safety T2 workshops flier

    We have additional workshops are available through the Napa Valley Grapegrowers (https://napagrowers.org/events/18/details) and the AgSafe Annual Conference (http://www.agsafe.org/index.php/en/agsafecalendar/2104-annual-conference.html)