Pesticide Sales and Use Reporting (PSUR) Database Data Dictionary
The file readme.txt included with the downloadable reports describes the record layout for each of the eight report files (referred to here as data files). This data dictionary is meant to supplement the readme.txt and other information provided by NYSDEC and Cornell University. Since the same data elements are returned by the on line searches, you may also use this dictionary for those data sets.
The table below shows which data elements are in each data file. The data elements appear in the order listed in this table.
| Data File |
Data Element (The number indicates the column in the data file that contains each data element.) |
|||||
| EPA Registration Number * |
Product Name |
Quantity: Volume |
Quantity: Weight |
County | Zip Code * | |
| prodnames ‡ | 1 | 2 | ||||
| sales_all | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| sales_cnty | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | ||
| sales_zip † | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | ||
| sales_euse | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| sales_resale | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| use_all | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| use_cnty | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | ||
| use_zip † | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | ||
| * | In Excel the format of this column needs to be changed to text. |
| † |
In Excel, if you get a warning that "File was not loaded completely," do not use the file. This will occur with use_zip because it has more rows than Excel can handle. You must use another tool such as Access to load use_zip. |
| ‡ |
This file is a reference file for the report files. The EPA Registration Number column may be used to relate the records in each file. |
EXAMPLE: The data file sales_all has three data elements (EPA Registration Number, volume, and weight). The EPA Registration Number is in column 1, the total quantity sold in gallons (volume) is in column 2, and the total quantity sold in pounds (weight) is in column 3. Column 1, the Registration Number, needs to be stored as text. The product names associated with each record may be accessed in the prodnames file using column 1 as the linking field.
Description of Data Elements
DATA ELEMENT: EPA Registration Number
DESCRIPTION
DATA FILES(S)
FORMAT
Text
Comprised of three sets of numbers separated by hyphens (for example, 4-99-10404). The first number is the EPA Company Number (i.e., the manufacturer of the product); the second is the EPA Product Number; the third, which is not always provided, is the EPA Distributor Number.
VALUES
Additional values:
- Invalid EPA No.—does not match those EPA registration numbers for pesticide products registered in NY state or ever registered in NY state as of the reporting year. Since the 2004 reporting year, EPA registration numbers are also validated against the EPA's data and only marked as invalid if not found in that data.
- Unreported EPA No.
- Illegible EPA No.
- Irregular EPA No.—usually refers to source pesticide reports where two EPA registration numbers were submitted for a single record.
COMMENTS
- Identify the pesticide product that you are interested in
- Determine which pesticides are listed in the data file
- Learn about the characteristics of a specific product
- View the NYS product label
- View the EPA product label
- View chemical information
DATA ELEMENT: PRODUCT NAME
DESCRIPTION
DATA FILES(S)
FORMAT
VALUES
COMMENTS
The product name is not the active ingredient.
The active ingredient(s) in a pesticide may be determined from the product label available in PIMS or by looking at the product ingredient information returned for PIMS searches.
The data file prodnames can be used to look up product names using the EPA Registration Number. The file has one record for each product name for each Registration Number in the various sales and use data files.
DATA ELEMENT: VOLUME
DESCRIPTION
DATA FILES(S)
FORMAT
VALUES
COMMENTS
For the pesticide use data, this is the total amount of product used "out of the manufacturer's container."
For the data on sales to certified private applicators, the quantity reported is the amount of product purchased and intended for use. For the data on sales of restricted use pesticides for resale and end use, the quantity reported is the container size and number of containers sold. The total amount is computed and converted to gallons by NYSDEC.
This is not the amount of the active ingredient in the product.
For some products, there is a value for both volume and weight. The unit of the product is sometimes reported incorrectly; that is, volume is reported when the pesticide is measured in weight. Only the product label (available through PIMS) tells you if a product is a solid or liquid.
DATA ELEMENT: WEIGHT
DESCRIPTION
DATA FILES(S)
FORMAT
VALUES
COMMENTS
For the pesticide use data, this is the total amount of product used "out of the manufacturer's container."
For data on sales to certified private applicators the quantity reported is the amount of product purchased and intended for use. For the data on sales of restricted use pesticides for resale and end use, the quantity reported is the container size and number of containers sold. The total amount is computed and converted to pounds by NYSDEC.
This is not the amount of the active ingredient in the product.
For some products, there is a value for both volume and weight. The unit of the product is sometimes reported incorrectly; that is, volume is reported when the pesticide is measured in weight. Only the product label (available through PIMS) tells you if a product is a solid or liquid.
DATA ELEMENT: COUNTY
DESCRIPTION
DATA FILES(S)
FORMAT
VALUES
Valid county names
Additional values:- Invalid County—county does not exist in NY State.
- Illegible County
- Unreported County
- Irregular County—usually refers to source pesticide reports where two counties were submitted for a single record.
COMMENTS
none
DATA ELEMENT: ZIP CODE
DESCRIPTION
DATA FILES(S)
FORMAT
VALUES
Valid 5-digit ZIP codes
Additional values:- Invalid Zip Code—does not exist in NY State.
- Illegible Zip Code
- Unreported Zip Code
- Irregular Zip Code—usually refers to source pesticide reports where two ZIP Codes were submitted for a single record.
- Private—ZIP codes unique to a specific location/organization. The Pesticide Reporting Law does not allow identification of the locations of specific applications. The data for ZIP codes associated with specific organizations or locations have been reported by NYSDEC using one of two methods. If the ZIP code had an enclosing ZIP code, the data have been reported in the enclosing ZIP code. Otherwise the data have been reported under the "Private" ZIP code.
COMMENTS
Because of the size of the ZIP code files, they cannot be imported into Excel. A database management program (such as Access) or statistical analysis program (such as SAS) can be used to work with this file.