Implementing the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act - Fiscal Year 2017 Fourteenth Annual Report S7>% % PRO^ March 1, 2018 ------- Table 1 PRIA Funded Pesticide Safety Education and Pesticide Worker Protection Activities in FY 2017 Worker Protection Cooperative Agreement Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP) National Farmworker Training Program PRIA funds support the national affiliates of AFOP for safety training for agricultural workers and worker families. The training increases protection for communities that may have a potential for high pesticide exposure. The characteristics of these communities are: high risk, low literacy, non-English speakers, low income, high mobility, and children at risk from take-home exposure. The program supports a network of community-based outreach specialists within the AFOP membership to provide Worker Protection Standard (WPS) safety training and take-home exposure prevention training to farmworkers in their communities. The program provides Train the Trainer courses, training materials, educational handouts, and technical support for on-site training. AFOP's Health and Safety Programs: $500,000 AFOP's Health & Safety Training Program has a network of 218 trainers located in 29 participating sites in 30 states. The trainers in community based organizations deliver training on heat stress prevention and pesticide safety. Overall, 46,378 farmworkers were trained in various training topics during the period of October 1, 2016 until September 30, 2017: ¦ 14,730 farmworkers trained on Worker Protection Standards (WPS) ¦ 10,106 farmworkers trained on Limiting Exposure Around Families (LEAF) ¦ 4,856 farmworkers trained on Pesticide Exposure and Pregnancy (PEP) ¦ 971 farmworkers trained on Jose Aprende Sobre losPesticidas ¦ 15,715 farmworkers trained on Heat Stress Prevention Limiting Exposure Around Families (LEAF) is a curriculum that increases awareness of take home exposure risks to families through training and educational materials. All training and materials are in a bilingual, low-literacy format that offers advice on how to reduce or even eliminate the possibility of exposing their children to pesticide residues. ------- Worker Protection Cooperative Agreement Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC) University of California Davis & Oregon State University $500,000 PERC's goal is to implement the development, revision, or updating of pesticide safety educational materials and resources targeted toward agricultural workers, and pesticide applicators. PERC has an Advisory Board (AB) with representatives of pesticide State Lead Agencies, State Cooperative Extension Services, farm worker advocacy groups, and the tribal community. The AB identified the most pressing needs to support the implementation of the revised Worker Protection Standard (WPS). PERC materials are posted on their website and made available for printing and distribution. The following materials were reviewed and approved by EPA to ensure technical accuracy: "How to Comply with the Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides" focuses on the revised WPS. The target audience is owners or persons responsible for the management of agricultural establishments that employ workers and handlers, and for commercial pesticide handling establishments. The manual helps readers determine whether they need to comply with the WPS, and provides detailed information on how to comply with the WPS requirements. The manual is available to anyone for reproduction. PERC received over 28,000 requests on their website for the manual. "Quick Reference Guide" summarizes the major requirements of the revised WPS along with the accompanying regulatory citations. PERC received over 8,000 requests on their website for this document. "National Worker Protection Standard: A Manual for Trainers of Agricultural Workers and Pesticide Handlers" is a guide for effective training techniques. The revised WPS requires that trainers of farmworkers and pesticide handlers meet certain qualifications. One way to qualify is to complete an EPA approved Train- the-Trainer program. "Is WPS Training Needed? What Employers Need to Know" presents which WPS required basic pesticide safety training (for workers, handlers, or both) is required for persons who perform common tasks in agricultural settings. Pesticide Safety Education Programs Cooperative Agreement Powered Up extension Foundation $1,500,000 (Funds FYs 2015, 2016, 2017) The extension (eX) Foundation is a member based 501(C)(3) non-profit virtual network of more than 15,000 extension educators. eX has created a user friendly online application and reporting system (Power Up) and will provide training in its use. The program will provide funds to pesticide safety educators within seven days of receiving signed compliance agreements. Participants will have instant access to eX customer service whenever it is needed. Power Up will assist recipients in reporting their progress toward meeting the deliverables they have promised. It will enable eX to monitor their progress, spot potential problems and help resolve them before they get out of control. The eX will be able to track expenditures to ensure that all EPA rules and regulations are being met, and that the funds are being used as planned. The system will make recipients more likely to use all of their funds, report in full and on time, and meet their commitments. Power Up will create a national recipients virtual network enabling participants to engage in online workshops. The workshops will provide incentives for them to share education and training materials and obtain the latest updates from federal and state government regulators as well as pesticide safety education stakeholders. ------- |