Bilingual Spray Safe, Spray Well recordings provide permanent resource for pesticide safety

Beginning organic growers, urban farmers and Spanish-speaking vegetable producers have been historically underserved by traditional cooperative Extension efforts to support agricultural risk management, especially related to safe and effective pesticide use. Production systems commonly used by beginning organic growers and urban farmers are often smaller, more intensive and less dependent on chemical control strategies for pest management than larger conventional farms. These farmers are often unaware of the risks posed by pesticides, even organic formulations, and are unfamiliar with the resource available to help support them in handling and applying pesticides safely and effectively. Further, Spanish-speaking vegetable growers in the Northeast struggle to access the traditional tools and educational offerings available to English speakers. In addition to the linguistic barriers, lack of established relationships with Extension and differences in culturally appropriate educational approaches are further barriers to accessing traditional risk management tools.

Cornell Cooperative Extension in New York led an effort to secure grant funding to support a project called “Spray Safe, Spray Well: Reducing Pesticide Use Risks for Beginning Organic Growers and Spanish-Speaking Farmers.” The project team organized and delivered eight bilingual webinars over the winter months on topics such as integrated pest management, sprayer nozzle selection, how to obtain a pesticide applicator license, organic insecticide modes of action and incorporating beneficial insects into a pest management program. Recordings of the workshops in both Spanish and English are provided on a Cornell Cooperative Extension YouTube channel for increased access and ongoing reference.

The workshop series reached over 100 unique participants in the region. The bilingual recordings have been accessed hundreds of times since 2022. More than 50 additional growers were reached through the one-on-one on farm support and in-person workshops offered during the 2022 growing season. Additionally, the project team strengthened relationships with more than 10 bilingual agricultural service providers and educators in the northeast and developed new relationships with over 15 Spanish-dominant growers in the region.

Project supported by Smith-Lever (3b&c) funds. Photo courtesy Lance Cheung, USDA.