EPA Worker Protection Standard Train-the-Trainer Course for Organic and Non-certified Pesticide Users

Date: 
Tuesday, April 21, 2015 - 9:00am to 1:00pm
Location: 
Brigham Hill Community Farm, 37 Wheeler Rd, North Grafton, MA 01536

All agricultural workers that either use or work in areas that have been treated with a pesticide, including OMRI-listed products, must receive training on the EPA Worker Protection Standards (WPS). This training must be delivered by someone who either has a license to apply restricted-use pesticides OR has completed a WPS train-the-trainer program.

UMass Extension is offering 3 half-day formal WPS Train-the-Trainer courses around the state this spring. These programs are geared toward organic producers and other farmers who are not certified pesticide applicators, and may be unfamiliar with regulations and procedures for safe pesticide use.

After you leave this training, you will have the ability and authority to conduct both handler and worker trainings for your employees, as required by the EPA. Currently, employees must receive this training at least once every five years. There are proposed changes to the WPS rules being reviewed by the EPA right now. These changes include requiring farm workers to have WPS training annually, rather than every five years. These train-the-trainer courses would enable farmers to perform this annual training. The EPA projects the final rule to be made public in May of 2015.

You will leave this training with:

  • EPA WPS How to Comply manual
  • WPS-compliant record-keeping book
  • Certificate of completion
  • Signage for central posting areas

Trainings will be held in April at three locations in Massachusetts:

Eastern MA:
When: Tuesday, April 14 from 9am to 1pm
Where: Appleton Farm, 219 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938

Central MA:
When: Tuesday, April 21 from 9am to 1pm
Where: Brigham Hill Community Farm, 37 Wheeler Rd, North Grafton, MA 01536

Western MA:
When: Tuesday, April 28 from 9am to 1pm
Where: Brookfield Farm, 24 Hulst Road, Amherst, MA 01002