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Agricultural Safety Program
Reducing the risks in the agricultural workplace!
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Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner - Actively
Involved in Farm Production and Processing
(Summary of Safety Breakfast Meeting held Wednesday, Sept. 8, 1999)
COMMISSIONER'S ROLE
The duties of the Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner cover a
surprising number of activities in the county, not the least of which is
agricultural operations, noted deputy agricultural commissioner Doug
Edwards at the Sept. 8 Safety Breakfast Meeting hosted by the Center for
Agricultural Business at California State University, Fresno.
The commissioner’s office has three divisions consisting of the Crop
and Livestock Division, the Environmental Protection Division, and the
Weights and Measures/Standardization and Statistics Division. Office staff
are charged with ensuring that state and federal laws and regulations are
followed by those in the agricultural and related industries.
In discussing pesticide issues, Edwards said he most closely follows
the regulatory scheme of California’s Environmental Protection Agency,
which oversees the state’s Department of Pesticide Regulation. Specific
regulatory documents include the California Food and Agriculture Code and
the California Code of Regulations, Title 3.
Current issues of key importance revolve around worker safety,
especially in the use of pesticides. The commissioner’s office oversees
training programs and personal protective equipment regulations. For
details on office services in these areas, access the ag commissioner’s
website at http://www.fresno.ca.gov.
The web page provides information about the ag commissioner’s office
as well as links to state and federal agencies.
UPCOMING SAFETY BREAKFAST MEETING!
The next safety breakfast meeting hosted by CAB is scheduled for
Wednesday, October 13, 1999. The topic is "The Importance of Safety
Partnerships." Speaker will be Elvia Martinez-Mullins, director of
Human Resources for Team Excellence in Agricultural Management. The
meeting will be from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the CATI Conference Room at the
California Agricultural Technology Institute, 2910 E. Barstow Ave.,
Fresno, California.
Safety Breakfast meetings are hosted monthly (except for July and
August) by the Center for Agricultural Business. The purpose is to provide
a forum for safety professionals to meet and exchange ideas, information
and concerns. Topics vary according to interests and needs of the
agricultural and agribusiness industries.
More than 20 sponsoring businesses and organizations currently provide
financial support for the safety breakfast meetings. Sponsors names are
listed on publicity fliers and signs at the meetings. For more
information, to suggest a topic of discussion, or to discuss becoming a
sponsor, call (559) 278-4405.
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{ CATI , CAB
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