UPDATED INFORMATION JUNE 7, 2017:
Thia Walker from Colorado State University clarified that the implementation of the Worker Protection Safety (WPS) rule has NOT been officially delayed, regardless of what the Mississippi Dept of Ag has indicated. The letter from EPA is just an official response to NASDA’s petition and no official regulatory or Congressional action has occurred to make it “legal”. It has to be published in the Federal Register before that can occur and, as a result, the 2015 rule is still in effect. Please continue to comply with the 2015 Rule.
According to the Mississippi Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry, the U.S. EPA has issued a revised compliance date for current Worker Protection Standard (WPS).
In response to a NASDA petition dated February 17th of this year, the U.S. EPA has consented to “extend the implementation of all revised provisions to the Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) until at least January 2, 2018 or until adequate enforcement guidance, educational materials and training resources have been completed and the state lead agencies have the tools, time and resources necessary to effectively implement the rule changes”.
