NSP Welcomes EPA’s Proposed Amendments to AEZ Provisions
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Oct. 25, 2019) — National Sorghum Producers (NSP) welcomes the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal, which was released Thursday by the agency, to simplify the Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ) provisions in the Worker Protection Standards (WPS).
NSP believes modifications were necessary to address missteps in recently added provisions to WPS, which if implemented, would have negatively impacted the ability of sorghum farmers to safely apply crop protection products. These same provisions would have significantly disrupted a family’s ability to live and work on their farm.
“These minor but targeted amendments to AEZ are necessary to allow sorghum farmers, like me, to continue to operate,” said NSP Chairman Dan Atkisson, a sorghum farmer from Stockton, Kansas. “The earlier version created an expectation that we would somehow control access to the land outside of our property and prevent our families from accessing our homes, neither of which is feasible. We are thankful for EPA taking a more realistic and common-sense approach to the AEZ, while making sure our families and employees are safe.
“NSP leadership and its members greatly appreciate EPA’s attention to this issue and consideration of farmers’ perspectives in proposing simplifications to these important rules. We look forward to providing the Agency with comments to reinforce the need for the final rule to be workable for agricultural production and effective in protecting the agricultural community.”
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NSP represents U.S. sorghum producers and serves as the voice of the sorghum industry coast to coast through legislative representation, regulatory representation and education. To learn more about NSP, visit www.sorghumgrowers.com.