GAP Connections (GAPC) will offer GAPC Grower Members who grow tobacco a unique opportunity to have customized farmworker training at their farm through a new cost-share program. The cost-share program will allow GAPC Grower Members who grow tobacco to schedule and have farmworker training on their farm at a 50% discount using sponsorship funds from the tobacco industry in 2023. 

GAPC launched the Customized Farmworker Training program in 2022, training over 250 farmworkers in its inaugural year. The training is customized, interactive, flexible, and complete, covering all the GAPC required topics for Certification with options for additional training such as food safety, CPR, and many more.  GAPC’s professional Farmworker Trainers are bilingual, bicultural, and experienced in dealing with different types of farm labor and operations.

A farmworker in North Carolina said, “I think the training was perfect because it helped us take precautions in the work that we do during the season.”

The base cost of a two-hour training session for GAPC Grower Members is $400.  Through this new cost-share program, GAPC Grower Members who grow tobacco can schedule a two-hour farmworker training for a cost of $200.  That is a $200 benefit to growers!  If more topics are desired, each additional hour of training will also be cost-shared at a rate of $50 per hour.

GAPC Grower Members can work with neighboring growers to further share costs if workforces can be combined for a training session.  GAPC Customized Farmworker Training is limited to groups of no more than 50 farmworkers.  Coordinating with other growers is a great way for smaller operations to gain more cost-savings.  GAPC will also be offering the ability to have this training conducted at Extension offices in select locations for those who would rather have the training done off-farm and in a less weather-dependent environment.

The GAPC Customized Farmworker Training cost-share program would not be possible without the generous sponsorships from Altria Client Services, Burley & Dark Tobacco Producers Association, Burley Stabilization Cooperative, Gallatin Redrying & Storage Company, Hail & Cotton, Pxyus/Alliance One International, RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina, Universal Leaf, and US Tobacco Cooperative.

The GAPC Customized Farmworker Training cost-share program is on a first-come, first-serve basis.  To take advantage of this program contact GAPC Training Coordinator, at (865) 622-4606, extension 107 or arochkes@gapconnections.com.

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