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Working closely with the agricultural community to ensure the proper storage of bulk pesticide and fertilizer products is one of Brent Perry’s top priorities.

Perry is an Agricultural Chemical Specialist for the Washington State Department of Agriculture in the Pesticide Management Division. He works in the Feed and Fertilizer program. The majority of his time is spent inspecting and offering technical assistance for Fertilizer and Pesticide Secondary Containment Storage facilities.

After working for more than 15 years in the private sector as a manager for an agricultural chemical fertilizer dealer, Brent brings considerable expertise to his job. His job now requires him to inspect agricultural chemical dealers very similar to the ones he used to manage.

His private sector background has been invaluable because it gives him common ground with many of the companies he regularly inspects.

He says, “Generally speaking a large percentage of the time I either know or at least have some kind of connection with the people at the facility.”

These facilities are generally owned and operated by agricultural chemical dealers, manufacturers and, on occasion, farmers in the state. His other responsibilities include inspection, registration, sampling and auditing of feed and fertilizer companies and their products.

Understanding the challenges of the companies and farmers Perry inspects and being able to communicate the rule to them makes for a good working relationship which translates to a positive working relationship with the WSDA. Perry’s work has resulted in a high degree of cooperation regarding secondary containment that keeps ground water and farm workers safer.

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