2004 PNN Annual Report

 

Background

The mandates for both Washington State University’s (WSU) Food and Environmental Quality Laboratory and the Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration (WSCPR) address operating a program for tracking the availability of effective pesticides for use on Washington’s minor crops. (RCW 15.92.060 & 15.92.100)  This tracking program is the Pesticide Notification Network (PNN), which has, since 1997, been funded by the WSCPR and operated by WSU.

 

The purpose of the PNN is to inform Washington State pesticide users of registration and label changes for products of interest to agriculture. Information is distributed to commodity commissions, grower groups, WSU Extension personnel, and individual growers involved in Washington State’s diverse agriculture. Currently information is distributed to 191 PNN contacts across the state.

 

One goal of the PNN is to get the right information to the right people. This is done by sending each PNN notification to a targeted distribution list. When people sign up for PNN service, they customize their "subscription" both by crop and by pesticide type. In this manner, an entomologist conducting research on tree fruit will receive only information about insecticides registered for use on tree fruits while the Washington Hop Commission receives notifications relating to all pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides) that may be used on hops. The PNN is a free service and anyone who is interested in subscribing to the PNN may do so.

In addition to actively distributing information via e-mail notifications, the PNN also provides information on its Web site found at URL: http://ext.wsu.edu/pnn .

 

PNN Activity

In CY 2004, the PNN distributed 325 notifications via 16,621 e-mail messages (transmittals). "Notification" refers to a unique piece of information that is then distributed to each interested subscriber. Because of the targeted nature of the PNN, the distribution list for each notification varies. In CY 2004 single notifications were sent to as few as 8 subscribers or as many as 169. The table below summarizes the activity of the PNN from its inception in 1997 through 2004. In 2004 the number of PNN subscribers rose from 166 to 191. Note that while the number of notifications sent in 2003 and 2004 is a bit lower than the preceding four-year period, both the total number of transmittals and the average number of transmittals used to distribute each notification increased in 2004.  

 

PNN Activity

Year

# Notifications

# Transmittals

# Trans/Notification

1997

424

8753

21

1998

279

4446

16

1999

355

8537

24

2000

344

11335

33

2001

355

12328

35

2002

338

15476

46

2003

283

12405

44

2004

325

16621

51

 

Additional PNN-Related Activities

In early 2004 two PNN changes were completed:  The PNN was converted from Microsoft Access to a web-based system and the PNN web pages were upgraded. These efforts have resulted in the following improvements to the system:

 

·        PNN notifications are now sent as e-mail text rather than as attachments.

·        The new system allows related materials (electronic copies of SLN and Section 18 labels, miscellaneous documents, and previously sent PNN notifications) to be easily linked to the notifications.

·        All previously distributed PNN notifications are now searchable (by year, crop, and/or keyword) and are available for review on the web page.

·        There is a new keyword search feature for information contained in all the PNN SLN and Section 18 tables.

·        PNN subscription information in now available on the PNN web page. Current subscribers may now review and modify their subscriptions on-line or request removal from the PNN. New subscribers may submit subscription requests on-line.

 

As in the past, the PNN distributed several "special topic" notifications in 2004. These types of notifications cover issues outside the registration, labeling, and federal regulatory information that is normally provided on the PNN. Special topic PNN notifications distributed in 2004 include:

 

·        Inclusion of State Restricted Use designation information in the PICOL label database,

·        EPA’s launch of a buffer zone mapping site,

·        WSDA’s request for feedback on a proposal to exempt kaolin clay from secondary containment requirements,

·        WSDA’s request for input on the need for a Section 18 for the use of propiconazole (Orbit) on filberts,

·        Bayer’s request for input on the need for an SLN for the use of phenmedipham (Spin-Aid) on fresh market spinach,

·        Information from Dow calling a halt to the use of triazamate (Aphistar) (Section 18 and progress towards a Section 3 label) on Christmas trees.

 

When WSU-mandated budget cuts were imposed in July 1, 2002, the PNN discontinued distribution of notifications covering information distributed in the Federal Register (REDs, risk assessments, and PR notices published by EPA). When WSDA initiated a two-year registration process to reduce paperwork loads the PNN activity decreased in parallel. Based on the CY 2003 activity level, the PNN recommenced distribution of notifications in FY05 for REDs.