On the latest Legal with Leah, Leah Curtis, policy counsel for Ohio Farm Bureau, updates farm employers on rule changes to the Worker Protection Standard.

The Worker Protection Standard is a set of regulations that are intended to reduce the risks of illness or injury to workers and handlers from exposures to pesticides in their jobs. The WPS requires agricultural employers and commercial pesticide handler employers to provide certain information and protection to workers, handlers and other persons when they use a WPS-labeled pesticide product on agricultural establishments in the production of agricultural plants. 

This set of regulations was updated in 2015. Ohio Farm Bureau provided substantial comment on these revisions, including convening several grower conference calls to ensure the individual concerns of OFBF members subject to these regulations would be heard.

A number of new resources have been created by the U.S. EPA to help farmers ensure they are in compliance with these laws.

A “How to Comply with the Worker Protection Standard” Manual is available here.
The Pesticide Education Research Council has also prepared a number of videos, including training videos in English and Spanish, in conjunction with U.S. EPA. They are available here.

Listen to Legal with Leah, a podcast featuring Ohio Farm Bureau’s Policy Counsel Leah Curtis discussing topics impacting farmers and landowners.

Ohio Farm Bureau membership

Ohio Farm Bureau Health Benefits Plan
The plan we are on is great. It’s comparable to my previous job's plan, and we are a sole proprietor.
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Kevin Holy

Geauga County Farm Bureau

Ohio Farm Bureau Health Benefits Plan
Farm Bureau connections
To grow a network and gain perspective and knowledge in the industry through personal and professional development has been invaluable. Every day I learn and grow.
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Ryanna Tietje

Henry County Farm Bureau

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Giving farmers a voice
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
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Matt Aultman

Darke County Farm Bureau

Giving farmers a voice
10-year campaign for safer roads
Farm Bureau is what really got the word out. It’s been one of their goals to get this done.
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Bill and Charlotte Wachtman

Henry County

10-year campaign for safer roads
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I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
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Gretchan Francis

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Bringing the farm back to life
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Because we are younger farmers just starting out, Farm Bureau has a lot of good opportunities and resources to help us grow in the future.
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Hannah Kiser

Sandusky County Farm Bureau

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Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
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Chad Ruhl

Farm manager, CSI Insurance

Select Partner Program
Advocacy
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
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Mary Smallsreed

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Advocacy
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