Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Agriculture Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Agriculture agency seeks funds to modernize pesticide training, expand water quality implementation and restart septic assistance
Summary
The Department of Agriculture asked the council to support updated pesticide applicator training (improved materials, Spanish translations, contracting), expanded water quality implementation to help move projects from planning to implementation, and a DEQ‑administered septic repair fund (proposal to fund repair/replacement for ~160 systems over two years).
The Department of Agriculture described three interlocking program priorities that align with the restoration fund: modernizing pesticide applicator testing and training with updated materials and Spanish translations; increasing implementation funding to move watershed water quality projects from planning into construction; and supporting rural water infrastructure via financial assistance for failing septic systems.
Jonathan (ODA) said the pesticide training work would be contracted out for modern, translated materials and that the agency intends to use grants and RFPs to procure updated curricula. He also framed the water quality request as a force multiplier for existing state investments — placing OERF dollars alongside current grant programs to support on‑the‑ground implementation. On septic systems, DEQ and Craft3 explained a proposed $4,000,000 two‑year investment could repair or replace roughly 160 systems and that the program had to pause due to lack of funding.
