Find in-person courses and online webinars that focus on writing and using farm business plans, developing succession plans for farms and ranches, learning the process for leasing your property to others, working land easements for farmland protection, and more! Agricultural business support services (including advising and consulting services) are also available.

Visit the Oregon Ag Trust website for more information.

This hands-on training is provided by Washington State Department of Agriculture for an all-day air blast sprayer calibration training in Spanish and English.

Participants will get both classroom and field experience in:
– Understanding the function and maintenance of sprayer parts.
– Practical ways to calibrate equipment so sprays are delivered accurately.
– Configuring sprayers to plant height and canopy density to reduce pesticide drift.
– Evaluating the effectiveness of equipment by checking coverage in orchards.

7 Oregon and Washington pesticide credits available for this training.

Classes held in March each year.

First Aid/CPR classes are offered in English and Spanish. Participants learn first aid basics for the most common first aid emergencies, including how to recognize them, how to call for help, and how to perform lifesaving skills. This course is designed for anyone with limited or no medical training who needs a course completion card in first aid to meet job, regulatory, or other requirements.

On completion of the course, attendees will receive a first aid completion card via email that verifies they have been certified in first aid/CPR.  Attendees will need to provide a valid email address at the time of the class.

Classes held in February and March each year.

This course, offered in Spanish, is designed to increase the knowledge and understanding of pest management and pesticide use in orchard systems.

Topics include:
– Learning about the main pests and diseases for pears, cherries, and apples.
– Understanding orchard pest and disease identification, life cycle, and methods of control.
– How to read and understand the pesticide label.
– General pesticide safety.
– How to reduce the impact of pesticides in the environment.

4 Oregon and Washington pesticide credits available for each half-day class; 8 credits available if attending both days.

This course, offered in Spanish, is designed to increase the knowledge and understanding of managing on-farm irrigation water for improved crop production.

Topics include:
– Irrigation systems
– Crop demand
– Soils and water holding capacity
– Fertilization management

Classes held in March each year.

A 2-day class to learn how to scout for orchard pests, beneficial insects, and diseases. This class will provide people with the skills to scout for pests and disease in their orchards, and to understand which beneficial insects are present and how they assist with pest management. This training will include both classroom and field work. Participants will learn pear and cherry orchard pest and disease identification, trapping and survey methods, and have hands-on experience doing field scouting in the orchard. Class will be held at the OSU Extension Office and onsite orchard.

4 Oregon and Washington pesticide credits available for this training.

Classes held in May each year.

This course includes 2 days of instruction provided by an experienced trainer from the Washington State Department of Agriculture or OSU Pesticide Safety and Education Program.

Topics include: federal and state pesticide laws, reading and understanding the pesticide label, pesticide formulations, personal protective equipment, using pesticides safely, introduction to pests and pest management, and pesticide application equipment and calibration, conversions, and calculations.

The private pesticide applicator license exam will be administered onsite during the third day of training.

Spanish language pre-license class held in February and/or December each year.

English language pre-license class held in November each year.

OSU’s Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) offers scheduled webinars, in-person classes and on-demand remote recertification options for anyone needing course credits toward license recertification.

Webinars  |  4 credits per session |  4 hours long on pre-scheduled dates/times  |  $80 per person per session

On-Demand Recertification  |  1-2 credits per session |  1-2 hours per session; on-demand remote course |  $35 per person per session

In-Person Recertification |  4-8 credits per session |  Full day class on pre-scheduled dates/times at various locations around the state | $130 – 175 per person per session

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule requires at least one person from covered farms to attend this training course.

Topics include:
– Training requirements
– Agricultural water use
– Equipment, tools, buildings and sanitation
– And more

Find an available training for your state:

Oregon Department of Agriculture offers On-Farm Readiness Reviews (OFRRs) as a way to help operations prepare for FSMA Produce Safety inspections. OFRRs allow you to assess how well you align with the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. They are most helpful when conducted as close to harvest as possible, but can provide important guidance at other times as well.

ODA works with growers CONFIDENTIALLY to assist them with understanding how the Produce Safety Rule applies on your farm. This program is voluntary, free, confidential, and can be done in-person, over the phone, or online (although in-person is best to see the specifics of your operation).

OFRR review teams include 2-3 ODA staff members.

Plan on 2-3 hours to talk about and walk around your operation and review your required documentation.

Contact the Produce Safety Team at ODA to find out more: produce.safety@oda.oregon.gov
Or call (503) 986-4620

An opportunity for annual fit-testing for orchard employees that use face respirators.  Appointments are 15-20 minutes and participants receive documentation certifying fit-testing has occurred by a qualified professional.

Appointments available in March each year.

This interactive workshop is taught in Spanish and includes three days of coursework. Participants will develop supervisory skills and work with real-life examples of management situations.

Topics include:
– Skills and abilities that must be learned to be an effective supervisor.
– Small vs. larger farms: where does the supervisor fit into the management structure?
– Responsibilities of a supervisor.
– Communication: Oral, written, and body language.
– Cultural Awareness: Who is your workforce?
– Motivation: Goal-setting and workforce expectations.
– Creating a culture of compliance and safety.
– The Power of a Supervisory Position: How to avoid abusing the power of the position.
– Discrimination Laws: How to apply laws to your workplace.
– Company Policies: Work policies, equipment uses, training, etc.
– Conflict Management: Discipline procedures, what to do and not do.
– Hiring and Firing Policy Procedures.

Classes held in November each year.

The Worker Protection Standards & Pesticide Handler Training is an interactive workshop delivered in Spanish or English by skilled bilingual trainers from WSDA. It has been specifically designed for employees who mix, load, and assist in the application of pesticides, along with performing other pesticide-related activities, and who do not hold a pesticide applicator license.

On completion of the course, attendees will receive a card that verifies that they have received annual WPS pesticide safety training as pesticide handlers.

6 Oregon and Washington pesticide credits available for this training.

Classes held in January and April each year.

Worker Protection Standard Train-the-Trainer course is also offered at various times.