REVISED PROGRAM ACCOMMODATES SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES
Special Permit Training (SPT) for 2020 has been revised to an online format that accommodates current restrictions on public meetings, recommendations for social distancing, and projected delays in H2A guest worker processing imposed by COVID-19. Many thanks to the NYS DEC, CALS and CCE administration, and CCE staff for their prompt action on this very critical program for NYS agriculture.

In time for the originally proposed in-person SP Trainings on April 7 and 8, we hope to have available pre-recorded training modules. It will be the responsibility of the Supervisor/Certified Pesticide Applicator(s) on each farm to administer the training modules and written exam to their Special Permit trainees. Once registered, all of the necessary training materials and documents associated with Special Permit applications will be sent separately to each farm along with a private link to access the training modules.

Special Permits will only be issued for 10 specific pesticide labels. This will relieve the certified pesticide applicator from "on-site within voice contact" supervision of non-certified pesticide applicators when they are handling federally-restricted-use pesticides for which they hold a Special Permit. The labels that will be covered include Lorsban Advanced (for control of black stem borer in apple only), Endigo ZC, Warrior II with Zeon Technology, Agri-Mek SC, Beseige, Leverage 360, Danitol 2.4EC, Mustang Maxx, Asana XL, and Lannate LV (no Gramoxone this year.)

NEW THIS YEAR
Under the extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19, pesticide handlers who received Special Permits in 2019 (passed the written exam, not just came to the training) will be "grandfathered in" for 2020, which means that their training requirements will be greatly reduced. Please pre-register your workers that fall into this category as well. Workers who have never taken SPT or those who had taken the course prior to 2019 will need to complete the full training and pass the written exam to receive their Special Permits.

REGISTRATION
Please register your workers in need of SPT by Friday, April 3, so that we can process your registrations and prepare all of the customized paperwork in a timely manner. Note, that your pesticide handlers do not need to be in the country for you to pre-register them by the deadline. 

Special Permit applications may be submitted to NYSDEC after completion of training modules and exam for each worker.  If you have workers that continue to "trickle in" after your first round of training, it will absolutely be possible for you to train them and apply for their Special Permits at a later time.  Please pre-register these workers at this time.

Register online. $20 per trainee.

If you called and left a message with Kim Hazel on or after March 20 to register for SPT and have not heard back, please contact Janet or Christy by April 3, or register online.

Next week, we will send out detailed instructions regarding the execution of SPT to the farms who have registered.

QUESTIONS??
For more information or any questions, please contact Janet Van Zoeren at 585-797-8368 / email Janet, or Christy Hoepting at 585-721-6953 / email Christy.