CANCELLED - In-Person 2020 Worker Protection Standard Training & DEC Special Permit Training
UPDATE: The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has approved a revised Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Special Permit Training (SPT) Program for 2020. This will accommodate current restrictions on public meetings, recommendations for social distancing, and projected delays in H2A guest worker processing. Our previously announced SPT in-person training sessions scheduled in Wayne and Orleans counties for April 7 and 8 have been cancelled.
Although we will provide more details on how the training will look soon, for now I want to stress to everyone that trainings will be offered this spring, and that the pre-registration deadline of March 30th is especially critical this year.
View Details for more info.
Special Permits (SP) will only be issued for specific pesticide labels and SP trainees will have to pass a test. This will relieve the certified pesticide applicator from "on-site within voice contact" supervision of non-certified pesticide applicators when they are handling federally-restricted-use pesticides for which they hold a Special Permit.
Workers requiring general pesticide training/Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Handler training who do not need special permits are welcome to take the class; they will not be tested and will receive a course participation certificate.
Event Details
Date
April 7, 2020
Location
Cornell Cooperative Extension Wayne County
Cost
English Speaking Special Permit & WPS Training : $20.00
(addl attendee $20.00 ea.)
Spanish Speaking Special Permit & WPS Training : $20.00
(addl attendee $20.00 ea.)
English Speaking Worker Protection Standard Training ONLY : $20.00
(addl attendee $20.00 ea.)
Spanish Speaking Worker Protection Standard Training ONLY : $20.00
(addl attendee $20.00 ea.)
At The Door Price
At the Door : $40.00
Host
Lake Ontario Fruit ProgramWayne County In-Person Special Permit Training Cancelled

Special Permits (SP) will only be issued for specific pesticide labels and SP trainees will have to pass a test. This will relieve the certified pesticide applicator from "on-site within voice contact" supervision of non-certified pesticide applicators when they are handling federally-restricted-use pesticides for which they hold a Special Permit. The labels that will be covered include Lorsban Advanced, Endigo ZC, Warrior II with Zeon Technology, Agri-Mek SC, Beseige, Leverage 360, Danitol 2.4EC, Mustang Maxx, Asana XL, and Lannate LV.
- Gramoxone has been deleted from the 2020 approved SPT FRUP list, Special Permit holders will not be authorized to apply Gramoxone in 2020, no matter if the product has last season's "legacy" label or the "new" label (which was NYSDEC accepted 12/23/2019).
- The application of Lorsban by Special Permit holders in 2020 will be restricted to a single trunk spray inapple orchards for borer control. No other Lorsban applications by Special Permit holders (for example: Onion transplant drench for maggot, or pre-bloom foliar on apples) will be permitted.
The restrictions above pertain to Special Permit holders only. NYS Certified Applicators are still allowed to use Gramoxone and Lorsban to the full extent allowed by the NYS label
New York DEC notes that the Special Permit process is intended for farm workers with English language skills that are not adequate to pass the DEC private applicators exam. All others are encouraged to apply for their private applicators license via taking the certification exam.
Certified Supervisors are required to attend the first 30 minutes of training.
Workers requiring general pesticide training/Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Handler training who do not need special permits are welcome to take the class; they will not be tested and will receive a course participation certificate.
When registering please be sure to add all the participants names under the appropriate date, language, and level of training needed. By increasing the information that we collect now we can decrease the time it takes to sign in at the beginning of the event.
For those certified applicators registering for the Special Permits, only your DEC pesticide applicators license number is needed in the "NOTE TO US" section of the registration form. If the certified applicator is not registering please be sure to add their name and DEC pesticide applicators license number in the "NOTE TO US" section of the registration form.
Event Details
Date
April 8, 2020
Location
Orleans County Cooperative Extension
Cost
English Speaking Special Permit & WPS Training : $20.00
(addl attendee $20.00 ea.)
Spanish Speaking Special Permit & WPS Training : $20.00
(addl attendee $20.00 ea.)
English Speaking Worker Protection Standard Training ONLY : $20.00
(addl attendee $20.00 ea.)
Spanish Speaking Worker Protection Standard Training ONLY : $20.00
(addl attendee $20.00 ea.)
At The Door Price
At the Door : $40.00
Host
Lake Ontario Fruit ProgramOrleans County In-Person Special Permit Training Cancelled

Special Permits (SP) will only be issued for specific pesticide labels and SP trainees will have to pass a test. This will relieve the certified pesticide applicator from "on-site within voice contact" supervision of non-certified pesticide applicators when they are handling federally-restricted-use pesticides for which they hold a Special Permit. The labels that will be covered include Lorsban Advanced, Endigo ZC, Warrior II with Zeon Technology, Agri-Mek SC, Beseige, Leverage 360, Danitol 2.4EC, Mustang Maxx, Asana XL, and Lannate LV.
- Gramoxone has been deleted from the 2020 approved SPT FRUP list, Special Permit holders will not be authorized to apply Gramoxone in 2020, no matter if the product has last season's "legacy" label or the "new" label (which was NYSDEC accepted 12/23/2019).
- The application of Lorsban by Special Permit holders in 2020 will be restricted to a single trunk spray inapple orchards for borer control. No other Lorsban applications by Special Permit holders (for example: Onion transplant drench for maggot, or pre-bloom foliar on apples) will be permitted.
The restrictions above pertain to Special Permit holders only. NYS Certified Applicators are still allowed to use Gramoxone and Lorsban to the full extent allowed by the NYS label
New York DEC notes that the Special Permit process is intended for farm workers with English language skills that are not adequate to pass the DEC private applicators exam. All others are encouraged to apply for their private applicators license via taking the certification exam.
Certified Supervisors are required to attend the first 30 minutes of training.
Workers requiring general pesticide training/Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Handler training who do not need special permits are welcome to take the class; they will not be tested and will receive a course participation certificate.
When registering please be sure to add all the participants names under the appropriate date, language, and level of training needed. By increasing the information that we collect now we can decrease the time it takes to sign in at the beginning of the event.
For those certified applicators registering for the Special Permits, only your DEC pesticide applicators license number is needed in the "NOTE TO US" section of the registration form. If the certified applicator is not registering please be sure to add their name and DEC pesticide applicators license number in the "NOTE TO US" section of the registration form.
Upcoming Events
Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

April 24, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 1 of 4
Hilton, NY
Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.
May 29, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 2 of 4
Holley, NY
Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.
June 26, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 3 of 4
Ithica, NY
Join specialists Anya Stansell and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month. This meeting will include Spanish Interpretation. Este mes en Español También.
July 31, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 4 of 4
Webster, NY
Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.
2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School Recordings
April 8, 2025
July 31, 2025
: Recording Available for 2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School
Access to the 2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School recordings are now available for purchase.
3rd Annual Western NY Fruit Growers Tour, Featuring Wayne County
July 31, 2025
We are excited to announce the 3rd annual Western New York Fruit Grower Tour, the premier fruit tour of the northeast brought to you by Cornell Cooperative Extension's Lake Ontario Fruit Program and Lake Ontario Ag Consulting, LLC! Located in Wayne County, this orchard field day will highlight new and existing products, chemistries, practices, technologies & equipment that shape the orchard industry today. The Western NY Fruit Grower Tour will again combine two past orchard tour events, the LOF Summer Fruit Tour and the Wayne County Fruit Grower Tour, giving industry members the opportunity to conveniently showcase their product offerings to ONE unified group at ONE time and place!
Stay tuned for more info as we get into the summer!