(NAFB.com) – The Environmental Protection Agency announced a final rule to restore the pesticide Application Exclusion Zone requirements under the 2015 Agricultural Worker Protection Standard. The AEZ is an area surrounding outdoor pesticide application equipment where people are prohibited while pesticides are applied. This rule finalizes the agency’s 2023 proposed rule without change and advances the agency’s commitment to protecting farmworkers, pesticide handlers, their families, and agricultural communities. It reinstates AEZ protections, extends protection for neighboring communities, makes requirements easier to understand, and provides flexibility for family farms without compromising protections. “Farmworkers help provide the food that feeds our families every day, and it’s our job to keep them safe from pesticides,” says EPA’s Michael Freedhoff. “No one should be at risk from pesticide-related illnesses because of their job or where they live.” The regulation protects over two million agricultural workers, their families, and pesticide handlers who work for over 600,000 agricultural establishments.