Provided below is a list of pesticide related resources for tree fruit horticulture grouped by topic. The links include information about Worker Safety, Maximum Residue Levels (MRL’s), and Pesticide Applicator Licensing and Testing, just to name a few. We have included, but do not maintain non-WSU sites, and are not responsible for keeping them up to date. If you discover any outdated or missing pages, please let us know using the contact form here.
Worker Safety
WSU Resources
- Pesticides: Learning about labels, C. A. Black and C. R. Foss, WSU Fact Sheet FSIPM001E, 2014.
- Pesticides: Safe Handling, C. A. Black and C. R. Foss, WSU Fact Sheet FSIPM002E, 2014.
- WSDA Pesticide Safety Contacts, WSU Crop Protection Guide for Tree Fruit in WA, online, 2015.
- Restricted Entry Interval Chart for Tree Fruit Pesticides, WSU Crop Protection Guide for Tree Fruit in WA online, 2015.
- WSPRS Pesticide Information Center Online (PICOL) Databases, pesticide label look-up access.
- WSU Small Farms Team pesticide information page, labels, workshops, newsletter, etc.
Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA)
- WSDA Pesticide Management Division, webpage. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WSDA Farmworker Education page, English and Spanish training and testing. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
Washington State Department of Health
- WSDH Pesticides Page, general information on pesticide exposure. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Pesticide Worker Protection webpage. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) webpage. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- EPA Pesticide Tolerances webpage. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
Worker Protection Videos
- WSU Pesticide Handlers and the Workforce Protection Standard English, DVD0066, WSU CAHNRS YouTube channel, 2014.
- Manipuladodres de plaguicidas y la norma de proteccíon, DVD0066S, WSU CAHNRS YouTube channel, 2014
- Protection from exposure (English and Spanish), DVD0071 (S), WSU CAHNRS YouTube Channel, 2014.
- Pesticide Transportation Day, Pesticide Storage, Rinse and Recycle, DVD0087, WSU CAHNRS YouTube Channel, 2014.
Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) links
- WSDA Pesticide Safety Contacts, WSU Crop Protection Guide for Tree Fruit in WA, 2016 online, contacts list.
- WSDA Pesticide Management Division webpage. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WSDA Farmworker Education page webpage. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WSDA Pesticide Licensing webpage. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WSDA Pesticide Laws and regulations, pdf booklet, 22pp., 2013. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
Maximum Residue Levels (MRL’s)
- Northwest Horticultural Council’s MRL database interface, webpage. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- Codex Maximum Residue Levels, NHC webpage. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- Understanding the codex alimentarius, FAO Dept., webpage. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- Antibiotic residues and use patterns on apples and pears, D. Granatstein, et. al., WSU Fact Sheet FS137E, 2014.
- Oxytetracycline Residue Study, D. Granatstein, WSU-TFREC, 2013.
- Destined for export: Understanding pesticide residue policy, Good Fruit Grower, May, 2014.
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC) conducted studies on Maximum Residue Levels (MRL’s) for pesticides beginning in 2011 in apple and cherry, as industry concerns with MRL’s compliance and export markets increased. The Pesticide residue study reports can be found using the links below.
- WTFRC Apple Pesticide residue study 2016 (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WTFRC Apple Pesticide residue study 2015 (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WTFRC Apple Pesticide residue summary 2011-2014 (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WTFRC Cherry Pesticide residue study 2016 (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WTFRC Cherry Pesticide residue studies 2015 (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WTFRC Cherry Pesticide residue summary 2012-2014 (Accessed: 1/19/17).
Pesticide Applicator Licensing and Testing
- WSDA Pesticide Licensing – Exams are given at the following sites; Olympia, Moses Lake, Everett, Spokane, Wenatchee, Yakima, and Longview. Study material is available in English and Spanish. Please check the site for testing dates, times, and further information. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- Pesticide Training Materials – List of WSU Extension publications available for a fee; required for Pre-licensing training course.
Several WSU Cooperative Extension Offices administer the Private Applicator exam upon request. Contact WSDA or your local extension office for further information. Here are additional county links related to training.
- WSU Extension Chelan-Douglas Counties (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WSU Extension Okanogan County (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WSU Extension Benton and Franklin Counties (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WSU Extension Asotin County (Accessed: 1/19/17).
- WSU Extension Walla Walla County pdf (Accessed: 1/19/17).
Sprayer Use
Sprayer Use Resources
- Airblast 101 – A Handbook of Best Practices in Airblast Spraying, Jason Deveau, OMA, 2015.
- Airblast Sprayer Calibration information links, PMTP Newsletter, 2008.
- Efficient use of speed sprayer technology calculator page, WSU-TFREC Apple IPM Transition project, calculator web page.
- Orchard Spraying and Following Label Requirements on Common Tree Fruit Pesticides. Carol Black, WSU Pesticide Education Program; Jason Deveau, OMAFRA.
- Orchard Air-Blast sprayers, This 12-minute WSU Extension video describes air-blast pesticide spraying in an orchard. In English. VHS, DVD. free order
- Reducing pesticide drift, EPA resource page. (Accessed: 1/19/17).
Trade Articles
- Multi-row sprayers offer great improvements in timeliness, Good Fruit Grower, October 2014.
- Practical steps to improving sprayer performance, B. Sparks, Growing Produce, February 2014.
- How to make every drop count, M. Hansen, article and video, Good Fruit Grower, April 2014.
- Growers need to adjust sprayers for deposition and drift, R. Lehnert, Good Fruit Grower, September 2013.
- Performance report on solid set canopy spray delivery system, R. Lehnert, Good Fruit Grower, July 2013.
- The top five things to consider when buying an orchard sprayer, R. Lehnert, Good Fruit Grower, March 2013.
- New Pesticide Safety Guidelines, Good Fruit Grower, March 2012.
Honey Bee Safety
- How to reduce bee poisoning from pesticides, L. Hooven, et. al., PNW59, 2013.
- Honey bee, D. F. Mayer and M. Burgett, WSU Orchard Pest Management online.
- Honey Bees, WSU Tree Fruit Extension Webpage.
