10/19/07 Wash Potato Commission looking to improve farm worker safety

Farm and Ranch October 19, 2007 The safety of crop chemical handlers and applicators was the focus of a recent conference in Washington D.C. attended by both labor and industry groups. Chris Voigt Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission attended. Voigt: "I think really the take home message is that there is a real desire by labor for additional training. I think our industry does a very good job of maintaining the high standards but occasionally there are some lapses and a lot of it has to do with a lack of training. So it is an opportunity for us to really examine our industry training program and make it even better." Voigt says the potato industry currently has a program but it's on an individual farm basis. Voigt: "And so what I think we are going to do as a Potato Commission is sit down and develop kind of a comprehensive list of training. Not only for how we handle pesticides but also things about safety around farm equipment, heat stress and how to avoid that. So we are going to really develop kind of a comprehensive training program that all of our growers can utilize." Voigt says the Commission has already developed a notebook for growers on a food safety program which producers have implemented. Voigt: "Kind of the next step, and it ties into that, is how we can better protect our employees. So that is one of the next projects we are going to be working on." That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today! Good health tomorrow! I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.