Pesticide Safety Training Requirements for  Agricultural Assistants

Quick Link to Trained Assistant Instructor Course Schedule

• Do Assistants Such As Family Members, Farm Employees or Foreign Workers Handle Pesticides on Your Farm? 

• What Pesticide Application Jobs Can a Trained Assistant (TA) Do?

• How Can My Assistants Become TA's?

• Can a Certified Grower Train Assistants?

• How can I Register for a TA Instructor Course So I Can Provide On-Farm Training for Agricultural Assistants?

• Who Is Responsible for All Pesticide Handling on Your Farm?

• Who May You Contact for More Information?
   

Forms Available in pdf

Record of Pesticide Safety Training for Agricultural Assistants
Instructions for the Proper Application of Pesticide Products
Order Form for Supplies for Instructors of Assistants

Do Assistants Such As Family Members, Farm Employees or Foreign Workers Handle Pesticides on Your Farm? 
Beginning January 1, 2000 all assistants who handle Schedule 2 and 5 pesticides must have safety training approved by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE).
Your pesticide dealer can help you to identify which Schedules of pesticides you are using on your farm, if you're not sure.

This new regulation under the Pesticides Act applies to everyone who handles Schedules 2 and 5 pesticides under your supervision as a Certified Grower. 

Once your family members, farm employees or foreign workers complete their training, they will be called Trained Assistants (TA's).

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What Pesticide Application Jobs Can a Trained Assistant (TA) Do? 
A Trained Assistant (TA) can mix, load or apply Schedule 2 and 5 pesticides under supervision of a Certified Grower.

Jobs that TA's may not do with Schedule 2 and 5 products:

• choose and buy them

• choose the rate

• decide how to store and dispose of these pesticides or their empty containers

• calibrate equipment

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How Can My Assistants Become TA's?
Trained Assistants (TA's) do not write an exam.  TA's must retrain every five years.

There are two training options to become a Trained Assistant:

1. Attend the Grower Pesticide Safety Course (GPSC).  Assistants attend a one day GPSC, but they do not write the exam. The fee is $105. 

2. Attend On-Farm Training by a TA Instructor.

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Can a Certified Grower Train Assistants?
If you are a Certified Grower, you can attend a TA Instructor Course and become qualified to provide on-farm training for assistants. You must renew your instructor qualification every five years. The fee for the TA Instructor Course is $65. This fee includes a kit of training materials that you will use when you train your assistants. 

To register for a TA Instructor Course and get your kit of training materials please call 1-800-652-8573 .

You will fill in a "Record of Training" checklist for each TA that you train. You send this completed checklist, plus a $25 registration fee to OPEP.  OPEP will send each TA a wallet card that is valid for five years.

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How can I Register for a TA Instructor Course So I Can Provide On-Farm Training for Agricultural Assistants?

TA Instructor courses are offered in Ontario as half day courses.  You will be given a training kit of materials and helpful tips on how to train your assistants.  The fee for the TA Instructor Course is $65.00.  You must renew your TA Instructor qualification every five years.

Note:  You must be a Certified Grower or a Certified Vendor before you attend a TA Instructor Course.  Have your Grower Pesticide Safety Course certificate number or Pesticide Vendor Certification Course certificate number ready when you call to register.

To register and to get your kit of training materials, please call 1-800-652-8573 .

TA Instructor Courses (listed alphabetically by TOWN)

Courses will be scheduled in other locations throughout the province on a demand basis.
Please call 1-800-652-8573 to register or for more information.

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Who Is Responsible for All Pesticide Handling on Your Farm?
As a Certified Grower, you are responsible for all pesticide handling on your farm. You may supervise up to 3 TA’s on your farmland at any given time.

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Who May You Contact for More Information?
For more information about TA Training, please call:

Ontario Pesticide Education Program
University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus
Ridgetown ON N0P 2C0
1-800-652-8573

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