Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
SEATTLE (August 14, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that Gebbers Farms Inc. of Brewster, Washington has agreed to pay a $17,078 penalty for violations of Worker Protection Standard requirements under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
On July 28, 2021, two EPA inspectors and a Tribal circuit rider inspector conducted a routine inspection at three Gebbers Farms orchards on the Colville Indian Reservation near Brewster. They found multiple violations of FIFRA’s Agricultural Worker Protection Standard. The inspectors specifically noted that Gebbers Farms failed to meet labeling requirements for the placement of a safety poster, decontamination, and storage and disposal of pesticides.
“Following label requirements on pesticides is not just a suggestion, it’s the law,” said EPA Region 10 Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Ed Kowalski. “Complying with basic worker protection standards is crucial in protecting the health and wellbeing of agriculture workers.”
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Contact: R10 Public Affairs Office, R10_Press_Team@epa.gov
