ABSTRACT
The need to protect our environment from the hazards of using crop protection products has sparked several technological improvements in application equipment. Many rules and regulations have been upgraded and new ones established in recent years to put increased emphasis on the safety issues that relate to our food supply and the application industry. The Worker Protection Standard was put in place to specifically protect agricultural workers and pesticide handlers from exposures while working with pesticides. A more recent regulation, the Food Quality Protection Act, has changed the way the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates pesticides. This law has resulted in label changes that reduce the amount of pesticide used and lower the potential for exposure. This can be accomplished in various ways, such as reduced rates, alternative application methods, increased worker re-entry intervals, and reduced number of pesticide applications.
