Gear Up for Ag™: Pesticide Safety Expansion for the Next Generation of Agricultural Workers

Highlights

2024-2025 Activities

• Delivered the Gear Up for Ag Safety and Health™ program to 34 young adults at Mississippi State University.
• Distributed 34 basic PPE kits to participants.
• Identified 12 “high-risk” individuals who regularly handle agrochemicals.
  • Provided advanced PPE kits, including reusable cartridge respirators and cartridges.
  • Conducted respirator fit checks and respirator care training.

• Additional Gear Up for Ag Safety and Health™ Program with 25 attendees, including 2 College of Agriculture faculty members and 1 university farm health & safety manager.
  • 15 “high-risk” individuals remained for additional respirator training.
• Respirator Fit Test Workshop
  • 35 attendees participated in a 3-hour workshop, including lunch provided by sponsors.
  • 20 respirator fit test kits distributed for hands-on training.
  • The remaining fit test kits were given to Gene Merkel (Mississippi State Extension) and Kenner Patton (Delta Research and Extension Center) for use in the upcoming Respirator Fit Test Workshops for future respirator fit testing of farmers, workers, and employees. 

New Resource Development

• Two illustrations of pesticide-related PPE were developed and integrated as Graphic Design materials into the Gear Up for Ag™ curriculum.
  • Shared as printed materials during live programs and displayed at workshops.
  • Photos of illustrations promoted on social media and available on the AHSA website.
  • Positive feedback from young adults: artwork was engaging, easy to understand, and suitable for high school and college audiences.
• Educational content now adopted by Mississippi State Extension and the Delta Research & Extension Center.

Broader Recognition

• The project has been featured on local television news channels, the Farm Safe Podcast, and presented at the 2025 International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health Conference.

Overview

Project Goals

AHSA aimed to strengthen pesticide safety education for young adults in agriculture through an expanded Gear Up for Ag™ training program. Project goals included:

• Developing immersive 360° video training to model WPS-aligned behaviors
• Creating PPE illustrative artwork to support visual learning
• Delivering in-person pesticide safety education to college-age agricultural workers
• Hosting a regional Respirator Fit Test Workshop to expand local fit testing capacity 

Training Approach

The project reached students and professionals through:

• In-person pesticide safety training hosted at Mississippi State University
• Follow-up respirator sizing, education, and demonstrations
• A separate 3-hour Respirator Fit Test Workshop at the Delta Research and Extension Center attended by ag educators, safety officers, and field professionals
• Distribution of videos, illustrations, and PPE kits to support ongoing use; watch the donning video here and the doffing video here.

What Made This Project Special

• Immersive Learning: AHSA created a unique, hands-on pesticide safety training where a 360° video experience played simultaneously while participants were guided in real-time on how to properly don and doff PPE and respond to pesticide exposures.
• Targeted for Young Adults: The Gear Up for Ag™ audience included college-aged agricultural workers — many working in the cotton and sweet potato industries and already applying pesticides — making the content especially timely and relevant.
• Capacity Building: Through the regional fit test workshop, AHSA distributed respirator kits, increased confidence in fit testing procedures, and trained a new cohort of professionals ready to assist farmers and applicators.
• Visual Communication: Custom PPE illustrations with reduced text and clean visuals were praised by learners as “attention-grabbing” and suitable for classrooms, training handouts, and online resources.

Evaluation Outcomes

• Pre-surveys showed a need for improved understanding of PPE and respirator use
• Post-surveys found that 100% of workshop attendees increased their confidence in fit testing and pesticide respiratory hazard recognition
• Participants reported specific plans to apply training in real-world scenarios, including:
  • Fit testing pesticide handlers and general farmworkers
  • Advising others on respirator selection
  • Incorporating tools into future ag training and education
• Mississippi State Extension expressed plans to incorporate AHSA’s materials into future outreach

PERC Thanks the Ag Health and Safety Alliance

PERC congratulates AHSA on completing a high-impact project that combines innovative media, youth engagement, and practical training. The Gear Up for Ag™ – Pesticide Safety Expansion project is a model for delivering interactive, research-based safety education to emerging agricultural professionals.