Update on Special Permit Training 2017
CCE has offered NYS DEC Special Permit Training (SPT) in New York for the last 17 seasons, training over 500 farm employees in 2016. Special Permit holders are legally authorized to apply specified federal restricted use pesticides (FRUP) without the direct on-site supervision of a NYS DEC certified pesticide applicator. Special Permits are valid for one season only and must be renewed annually.
Discussions are in process between CCE and DEC to obtain approval for Special Permit training in 2017. Please stay tuned for the latest updates, and (we hope) the eventual announcement of training dates and registration information. Regarding possible dates, please contact us if you foresee a repetition of last spring's delays in the approval of H2A applications, as we will take these delays into consideration in setting dates.
EPA final regulations covering pesticide applicator certification were issued in January 2017. A few things to be aware of:
- The new regulations eliminate the provision that allows states to develop and implement Special Permit Training Programs, which will effectively cancel SPT at some point, but possibly not for another 2 or 3 years (see below).
- The prior regulations will remain in force until such time that NYS DEC develops and implements the new regulations (which may take 2-3 years).
- In the meantime, the Special Permit Training Program now falls into an uncertain state regulatory environment.
- Cornell Pesticide Management and Education Program (PMEP) specialists are reviewing the newly published regulations, and we expect to hear more details from them shortly.
- CCE staff is moving forward with SPT for 2017, but at this time we cannot be certain that an SPT program will be approved by the NYS DEC for 2017.
- The situation may become more challenging for 2018 and beyond. As stated earlier, the new regulations will not allow the issuance of Special Permits by states. This means that those farm employees who have held a Special Permit in the past will have two options: to pass the exam and become certified private applicators, or lose the ability to legally apply FRUP's without direct on-site supervision.
- The White House recently issued a statement that the implementation of all new pending federal regulations that have not already been published in the Federal Register will be placed on temporary hold for further review. The new pesticide applicator certification regulations were published in the Federal Register earlier in January but have not yet been implemented. Hence, depending on the exact legal language of the presidential directive, their current status needs further clarification.
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Upcoming Events
2024 Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings
April 25, 2024 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 1 of 4
Newark, NY
Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Osatuke, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.
May 30, 2024 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 2 of 4
Lockport, NY
Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Osatuke, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.
June 27, 2024 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 3 of 4
Penn Yan, NY
Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Osatuke, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.
July 25, 2024 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 4 of 4
Mexico, NY
Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Osatuke, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.
2nd Annual WNY Fruit Grower Tour
August 13, 2024
We are excited to announce the second 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 Orleans 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!
Save the Date - Western NY Fruit Conference - February 4-5, 2025
February 4 - February 5, 2025 : Western NY Fruit Conference
Rochester, NY
For the 2nd year in a row, we'll be having the Western NY Fruit Conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Rochester! It will be another 1 1/2 day conference. Stay tuned for program and registration info as we get closer.