By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now accepting comments on a proposal it says will modify pesticide application exclusion zone (AEZ) requirements to improve their enforceability while reducing the regulatory burden on farmers.
“EPA’s proposal would enhance the agency’s Application Exclusion Zone provisions by making them more effective and easier to implement,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said. “In listening to input from stakeholders, our proposal will make targeted updates, maintaining safety requirements to protect the health of those in farm country, while providing greater flexibility for farmers.”
The proposed changes would modify the AEZ so it is applicable and enforceable only on a farm owner’s property where the farm owner can lawfully exercise control over employees and bystanders in the AEZ.
According to EPA, the current off-farm aspect of the rule has been difficult to enforce.
The proposal would exempt immediate family members of farm owners from all aspects of the AEZ, leaving them to choose whether or not they must leave the farm during a pesticide application.
It would add clarifying language that pesticide applications that are suspended due to someone coming into the AEZ may resume when they leave.
The proposal would simplify the criteria used to determine whether pesticide applications are subject to a 25- or 100-foot AEZ.
“The American Farm Bureau Federation welcomes EPA’s efforts to refine and improve the application exclusion zone requirement,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said. “It’s part of the Worker Protection Standards rule, which was recently revised in a way that has proved challenging for many farmers. Every effort to make the rule more sensible and practical for farmers while safeguarding workers is important.”
The comment period is open through Jan. 30 on regulations.gov.