Pesticide Stewardship Program
At WSDA, we are starting a Pesticide Stewardship Program to work with farming communities throughout the state. We will coordinate with conservation districts, university researchers, educators, and other agencies to support farmers through upcoming pesticide regulation changes.
Pesticide regulations are changing
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making changes to the rules farmers and pesticide applicators must follow. Many of these changes will include conservation practices to lower the chance that pesticides will enter the environment through drift or runoff.
What changes are we going to see?
If the EPA thinks that the same protections are needed everywhere in the United States, they will be listed on the pesticide label. If they think the protections are only needed in specific habitats, they will be listed on Endangered Species Protection Bulletins on the Bulletins Live! Two website.
What will change on pesticide labels?
Some pesticide labels will have more requirements to follow. They will still have requirements about application rates, number of applications, and weather, but they may also have requirements about tillage, cover crops, filter strips, buffers, or other practices.
What is Bulletins Live! Two?
Where there are requirements for specific geographic regions or habitats, the EPA is going to share that information on a website called Bulletins Live! Two. They will create Endangered Species Protection Bulletins to list the different requirements in or near endangered species habitat.How do I find and use Bulletins Live! Two?
- Download Endangered Species Protection Bulletins online at: https://www.epa.gov/endangered-species/bulletins-live-two-view-bulletins
- Call: 1-844-447-3813
- Email: ESPP@epa.gov
Goal 1
Tell EPA what will and won't work in Washington. Ensure they know what Washington farmers are doing to protect the environment.
Goal 2
Gather information from farmers about practices that are already being used in Washington to reduce drift, runoff, and erosion. Provide Washington farmers with reliable and current information about EPA's planned changes and timelines.
Goal 3
Plan projects in the Palouse region that will help farmers right now, based on their input.
Goal 4
Expand our Pesticide Stewardship Program to more areas of Washington.
GET INVOLVED!
We need to make sure EPA has the right information
- What are farmers already doing to reduce the changes of pesticide drift or runoff?
- How will these changes affect farmers?
- What management practices are not practical in this region?
Help steer our projects!
- Are these management practices that need to be studied more?
- What type of watershed-scale conservation and stewardship work is needed?
- What specific projects would be the most helpful to farmers?
- How should we evaluate the effectiveness of these new regulations?
- How should WSDA coordinate with other conservation and stewardship programs?
Are you interested in trying new management practices on your farm and participating in a research project? Contact us!
Sign up for email updates here: https://forms.office.com/g/9yxFpMiWxWView our printable brochure here: 127-NRAS-PSP-brochure_web [PDF 3 MB]
Margaret Drennan
General Pesticide Stewardship Program
Natural Resource and Pesticide Scientistmdrennan@agr.wa.gov
360-280-6849
Chris McCullough
Pesticide Stewardship, Palouse Region
Pesticide Usage and Stewardship ScientistChristopher.McCullough@agr.wa.gov
564-669-3809
Abigail Nickelson
Surface Water Monitoring Program Manager
Natural Resource Scientistanickelson@agr.wa.gov
509-895-9338