The Field Component of the National Pesticide Program
Current as of April 2, 2007
Pesticide Field Programs
The field program is made up of the frontline implementation activities carried out by states, tribes, EPA Regional pesticide experts and associated partners. Among other activities the pesticide field program:
- helps protect agricultural workers;
- provides certification and training for users of some of the more hazardous pesticides to enhance competence and insure safe use;
- promotes protection of endangered and threatened species;
- collaborates in protecting the nation’s water supplies from pesticide risk; and
- promotes comprehensive protection programs, such as Integrated Pest Management.
EPA has developed three documents that are designed to communicate the role of the national pesticide field program more clearly. The goal is to provide a cohesive, well understood message concerning the vital importance of a strong field program and the roles that EPA Regional Offices, states, and tribes play in the regulation of pesticides in the United States, including risk reduction implementation. These documents are intended to be tools for use in delivering this message.
The three documents are designed to meet various needs by providing increasing levels of detail.
- A short question and answer piece that addresses the key questions related to the national pesticide field program.
- A more expanded discussion of the field programs’ contributions to national pesticide program public health and environmental protection goals. (19 pgs., 268 KB, about PDF)
- A detailed narrative describing the goals of the national program, the contributions of the field programs, and providing several examples of where the interaction between regulatory partners has proved beneficial.