Source: NC AGROMEDICINE INSTITUTE, 12/12/18

Good Afternoon,

I am writing on behalf of Robin Tutor Marcom, Director of The NC Agromedicine Institute. The Institute works closely with several agriculture related groups to bring health and safety issues and solutions to the farmers of NC. Currently, we are working on a project partially funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services-Pesticide Environmental Trust Fund. The intent of this project is to inform farmers of the EPA's revisions of the Worker Protection Standards related to decreasing pesticide exposure among agricultural workers, pesticide handlers and their families. We offer resources and assistance to help with meeting the regulations that are now in effect, such as medical clearance, fit testing and training, posters, required forms. These revisions affect agriculture nationwide, not just NC.

Getting this information in front of farmers, nurserymen and other agricultural establishments is essential in assisting them with meeting regulations and maintaining compliance. The regulations require annual updates for fit testing and training as well as record keeping. Medical clearance must be repeated as needed depending on the individual's health restrictions. We need assistance in reaching these farmers and hope that you can provide an avenue to do that, whether it be through online correspondence, print material, newsletter, blog, facebook, twitter or other format. Keep in mind, if your product covers more than NC, we are happy to provide assistance in locating resources to anyone as EPA regulations are enforced nationwide. We would like to contribute articles, short paragraphs and/or ads to your publications in hopes of getting this information in front of those needing assistance. I have an article (see below) and ad that we can adjust to meet your specific requirements. These are to give you an idea of the intended content only. 

I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this with you at your convenience. Please feel free to contact me via email or phone. If you prefer, you may reach Dr. Marcom at 919-880-4225 (cell), 252-744-1008 (office) or tutorr@ecu.edu.  I look forward to the possibility of serving our ag community with your assistance. 

Looking Forward,

Tami Thompson
Outreach Coordinator
NC Agromedicine Institute
1157 VOA Site C Road
Greenville, NC 27834
thompsont@ecu.edu
919.631.7857


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Tami Olive Thompson
Lazy O Farm 
3583 Packing Plant Road
Smithfield, NC 27577
919-934-1132
The Pond at Lazy O Farm
403 Old Olive Road
Smithfield, NC 27577

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The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is aimed at reducing the risk of pesticide poisoning and injury among agricultural workers and pesticide handlers. The WPS offers occupational protections to over 2 million agricultural workers (people involved in the production of agricultural plants) and pesticide handlers (people who mix, load, or apply crop pesticides) who work at agricultural establishments (farms, forests, nurseries and greenhouses). Pesticides are used in agricultural production across North Carolina to kill organisms and pests that damage or destroy crops.

On November 2, 2015, the US Environmental Protection Agency revised the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) to implement more protections for agricultural workers, handlers and their families. The WPS revisions are intended to decrease pesticide exposure incidents among agricultural workers, pesticide handlers and their families. All of the WPS revisions are now in effect. WPS training materials are available at the Pesticide Education Resources Collaborative (https://pesticideresources.org)

In addition to requiring an updated safety poster, suspending an application if someone is in the application zone and other protections, the WPS requires that anyone handling a pesticide labelled for respiratory protection complete a medical clearance, fit test and training prior to using handling the pesticide. Fit test and training must be repeated on an annual basis with medical clearance being repeated under certain conditions.

Assistance with respiratory protection requirements is available to farms, nurseries and other agricultural establishments through the North Carolina Agromedicine Institute ('the Institute’) thanks to support from the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services – Pesticide Environmental Trust Fund.

Contact the Institute for more information at 252.744.1008.

References: 1. US EPA – WPS https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/agricultural-worker-protection-standard-wps

2. Pesticide Resources Collaborative https://pesticideresources.org
3. NC Agromedicine Institute – Respiratory Protection http://www.ncagromedicine.org/program-respiratory.php