Pesticide Inspector Residential Training (PIRT)
About the Pesticide Inspector Residential Training Program
The Pesticide Inspector Residential Training (PIRT) program typically funds two national pesticide classroom courses a year for state, tribal, and territorial inspectors. In the past, the PIRT has covered the following topics:
- urban FIFRA issues
- advanced inspector skills
- agricultural use
- structural training
- fumigation
- product related trainings.
There is also a Tribal PIRT that is offered to federally-recognized tribes every other year, which is coordinated by a small tribal planning committee that changes with each Tribal PIRT.
PIRT Steering Committee
The main PIRT program is coordinated by a small steering committee that helps establish PIRT strategic direction and priorities, as well as to recommend key training topics for pesticide inspectors.
- representatives from states, tribes, and EPA
- a minimum of five individuals employed by State Lead Agencies (SLAs), territories and tribal governments representing a minimum of three different EPA regional areas.
- one representative from each of the following:
The membership of the PIRT steering committee is staggered so that that no more than 1/3 of the members rotate off the committee on an annual basis following the federal fiscal year cycle (October 1 - September 30). Therefore, no member, exclusive of the coordinator and PREP liaison, remains on the steering committee more than three consecutive years.
Name | Organization | Region Represented | Fiscal Year Term Expires |
---|---|---|---|
Aaron Brown (abrown@agr.wa.gov) | Washington State Dept. of Agriculture | 10 | 2023 |
Africa Dorame-Avalos (africa.dorame-avalos@itcaonline.com) | Inter Tribal Council of Arizona | 9 | 2023 |
Kelly Engle (Coordinator) (engle.kelly@epa.gov) |
EPA Office of Compliance | HQ | N/A |
Kelly Friend (AAPCO) (kelly.friend@freshfromflorida.com) | Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services | 4 | N/A |
Shawn Hackett (hackett.shawn@epa.gov) |
EPA Region 7 | 7 | 2022 |
Rick Hayes (ricky.hayes@agr.georgia.gov) |
Georgia Department of Agriculture | 4 | 2022 |
Kristen Lashley (kristen.lashley@agi.alabama.gov) |
Alabama Dept. of Agriculture & Industries | 4 | 2022 |
Greg Takeshima (greg.y.takeshima@hawaii.gov) |
Hawaii Department of Agriculture | 9 | 2022 |
Tom Phillips (tom.phillips@maryland.gov) | Maryland Department of Agriculture | 3 | 2022 |
Neil Richmond (neil.richmond@freshfromflorida.com) |
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services | 4 | 2022 |
George Saxton (ASPCRO) (saxton@purdue.edu) |
Office of Indiana State Chemist | 5 | N/A |
Dawn Wall (dawn.wall@mda.mo.gov) | Missouri Dept. of Agriculture | 7 | 2023 |
Cindy Wire (PREP) (wire.cindy@epa.gov) |
EPA Office of Pesticide Programs | HQ | N/A |
PIRT Charter
- The PIRT Charter outlines the expectations for the PIRT coordinator, steering committee, and hosts.
Trainings
Title | Host | Location | Date(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Urban FIFRA Issues | Henderson, NV | May 18-22, 2015 | |
Advanced Inspector Skills | Albuquerque, New Mexico | February 23-27, 2015 | |
Worker Protection Standard (WPS) | Asheville, North Carolina | May 2-5, 2016 | |
Inspection Skills and Investigation Techniques – Tribal PIRT | Polson, Montana | August 16-18, 2016 | |
Pollinator Protection | Kissimmee, Florida | September 13-16, 2016 | |
Worker Protection Standard (WPS) | Portland, Oregon | April 24-27, 2017 | |
Advanced Inspector Skills | Savannah, Georgia | July 24-27, 2017 | |
Enforcement PIRT | Savannah, Georgia | June 10-14, 2018 | |
Basic Inspector PIRT | Asheville, North Carolina | September 9-13, 2018 | |
Tribal PIRT | Poplar, Montana | September 17-21, 2018 | |
Pesticide Drift Issues PIRT | Tri-Cities, Washington | May 14-17, 2019 | |
Basic Inspector PIRT | Savannah, Georgia | August 25-29, 2019 | |
Virtual Basic PIRT | Virtual | April 19-22, 2021 | |
Tribal PIRT | River Spirit Resort & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma | May 17-19, 2022 | |
Basic PIRT | Georgia Department of Agriculture | Savannah, Georgia | July 31-August 4, 2022 |
Enforcement PIRT | Office of Indiana State Chemist | Indianapolis, Indiana | October 3-7, 2022 |
Enforcement and Use Concerns PIRT | Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources | Northampton, Massachusetts | May 8-12,2023 |
Basic Pesticide and Use Concerns PIRT | North Caroline Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services | Asheville, North Carolina | July 31-August 4, 2023 |
Basic PIRT | Georgia Department of Agriculture | Savannah, Georgia | December 3-7, 2023 |
Pollinator Issue PIRT | North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services | Raleigh, North Carolina | July 14-18, 2024 |
Contacts
- For more information on the PIRT program, contact Kelly Engle (engle.kelly@epa.gov)