Pesticide Trainings by L&I in Kennewick and Yakima November 14 and 15

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries is holding stakeholder meetings in Kennewick on Monday, November 14^th and Yakima November 15^th to discuss recent changes to the Worker Protection Standard.

Ag Technical Specialist Sally Buckingham said the meetings are for producers and anyone who wants to know more about the changes.

“These are now going to be rules that will be enforced by the state. We are working closely with the Washington State Department of Agriculture on this rule making.”

Most of the changes revolve around pesticide use including an expansion of subjects that workers and handlers need to know and that they will be tested every year.

Buckingham said there aren’t a lot major changes in the worker standards, but it was important to offer a place to communicate the changes with growers, pesticide handlers and more.

“These are some revisions that we need to include in our rule in order to enforce it to the degree that the federal level will enforce it.”

Monday’s meeting takes place at the Kennewick L&I office on West 24^th Avenue at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday’s meeting is at the Yakima L&I office on West Yakima Avenue at 9:00 a.m.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail krounce@cherrycreekradio.com.