California Ag Network

Tag: Department of Pesticide Regulation

  • CAPCA on the Rise & Role of Biologicals in Crop Protection

    Crop protection tools are becoming more and more regulated and limited in California. Biostimulants, biopesticides and biofertilizers offer more options for growers. How they fit into conventional and organic farming systems is still being investigated and how the California Department of Pesticide Regulation should treat and classify them is still in debate. The California Association of Pest Control Advisers (CAPCA) has been actively involved in the conversation though, advocating for tools for sustainable pest management. At their annual Conference, Malcolm Media Editor-in-Chief Matthew Malcolm sat down with CAPCA State Board Vice President Adam Tavares from AMVAC Chemical as he shared his perspective on where their at and priorities for the future.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Simplot Grower Solutions for their industry support.

  • New Stanislaus County Ag Commissioner Serves as Liaison Between Farmers and California DPR

    At Malcolm Media’s recent Tree & Vine Expo, event host Matthew Malcolm was pleased to introduce, Linda Pinfold, the new Stanislaus County Ag Commissioner to attendees.  Watch this brief video to get to know Linda and her emphasis on serving and assisting local farmers in navigating the ever-changing pesticide regulatory environment of California.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Thunder Creek Equipment for their industry support.

  • DPR Releases Draft Strategic Plan, Reflecting Sustainable Pest Management Approach

    The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is updating its strategic plan with action-oriented, measurable goals to guide priorities over the next five years.

    Released today for public feedback, DPR’s draft 2024 Strategic Plan lays the groundwork for a streamlined, transparent, accountable department that centers its work around human health, equity and environmental justice, broad environmental protections, support for agriculture and community well-being, and economic vitality.

    “Our draft strategic plan reflects the department’s evolution in regulating pest management in a way that supports healthy lives and a healthy environment for all Californians, and an abundant, healthy food supply for future generations,” said DPR Director Julie Henderson. “I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with all of our stakeholders and partners to collect feedback on the department’s identified priorities.”

    The department’s updated strategic plan reflects its sustainable pest management approach to the full scope of its work. The updated plan also strengthens and reaffirms the department’s commitment to equitably protect all Californians and advance environmental justice.

    Updated DPR Mission: We protect human health and the environment by fostering sustainable pest management and regulating pesticides.

    Updated DPR Vision: A California where pest management is safe, effective, and sustainable for everyone.

    The department’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) will also be reflected in its updated strategic plan.

    The goals outlined in the draft 2024 Strategic Plan will advance the department’s mission, vision and commitment to equity and environmental justice. The draft is available on DPR’s website In English and Spanish.

    DPR encourages feedback from all stakeholders on its draft 2024 Strategic Plan.

    Opportunity for Public Comment

    DPR will accept written comments on the draft 2024 Strategic Plan via mail or email from Sept. 19 through Oct. 20, 2023. Comments are accepted online through DPR’s public comment portal in English or Spanish. written comments can be mailed to DPR at 1001 I Street, P.O. Box 4015, Sacramento, CA 95812-4015.

    Public Meetings on Oct. 2, 3, 4 and 6, 2023

    DPR will host four public meetings – two virtually and two in-person  – to receive live feedback on the goals outlined in the draft 2024 Strategic Plan. All four public meetings will be facilitated and offer simultaneous interpretation in Spanish. The meetings will each include brief remarks from DPR leadership on the draft updated mission, vision, DEI statement and goals included in the draft 2024 Strategic Plan, and then attendees will have two minutes per person to provide public comment. No registration is required to attend.

    Monday, Oct. 2
    When: 4-6:30 p.m. PDT

     

    Tuesday, Oct. 3
    When: 4-6:30 p.m. PDT
    Where: Meitzenheimer Community Center
    830 S. Blackstone Street
    Tulare, CA 93274
    Wednesday, Oct. 4
    When: 4-6:30 p.m. PDT
    Where: Civic Plaza Community Room A&B
    275 Main Street
    Watsonville, CA 95076

     

    Friday, Oct. 6
    When: 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. PDT

    Where: Held virtually, join via Zoom

    Opportunity for Tribal Consultation

    DPR respectfully requests tribal consultations on the draft 2024 Strategic Plan be held by Oct. 20, 2023. Tribes may submit consultation requests via email to Paul Ryan at Paul.Ryan@cdpr.ca.gov or via mail to:

    California Environmental Protection Agency
    Department of Pesticide Regulation
    ATTN: Paul Ryan, Tribal Liaison
    1001 I Street, P.O. Box 4015
    Sacramento, CA 95812-4015

    ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION

    The California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s mission is to protect human health and the environment by fostering safer and sustainable pest management practices and operating a robust regulatory system to monitor and manage the sale and use of pesticides across the state. DPR’s work includes registering all pesticides sold or used in California, conducting scientific evaluation of pesticides to assess and mitigate potential harm to human health or the environment, monitoring for pesticides in the air and water, and enforcing pesticide regulations in coordination with 55 County Agriculture Commissioners and their 500 field inspectors. DPR also conducts outreach to ensure pesticide workers, farmworkers and local communities have access to safety information. DPR invests in innovative research to encourage the development and adoption of integrated pest management tools and practices. More information about DPR can be found at www.cdpr.ca.gov.

  • $1.9 Million in Grants to Support Transition to Safer, Sustainable Pest Management in California

    The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has opened $1.9 million in available funding to support integrated pest management (IPM) projects that expand available tools, resources and practices that increase the adoption of IPM and support a statewide transition to sustainable pest management.

    Sustainable pest management builds on the existing practices of IPM to incorporate broadened considerations of human health and social equity, environmental protections and economic viability in the way pests are managed in agricultural, urban and wildland settings.

    The funding announced today is available through the 2024 Alliance and Research Grants programs. In the past 20 years, these programs have awarded more than $26 million for more than 100 projects that advance the use of IPM and ultimately increase the adoption of more sustainable methods for managing pests that are safer for people and the environment.

    “To accelerate the systemwide adoption of sustainable pest management across the state, we need to both build a suite of effective alternatives to higher risk pesticides and expand the knowledge, technical assistance and practical resources for growers and urban pest managers to manage pests in the safest, effective way for people and the environment,” said DPR Director Julie Henderson.

    The 2024 Research and Alliance Grants programs are seeking projects that address one or more of the following examples of priority topic areas:

    • IPM resources for underserved or disadvantaged communities or for small growing operations
    • Decreasing the use of high-risk, high-volume pesticides (for example: fumigants)
    • Tools, strategies and resources for IPM and sustainable pest management use in agricultural areas near school sites and urban settings
    • Incorporating the sustainability pillars of broadened considerations of human health and social equity, environmental protections and economic vitality as outlined in the Sustainable Pest Management RoadmapPreviously funded Research and Alliance Grant projects include:
      • Researching the use of RNA interference, antimicrobial peptides, and sterile insect techniques to effectively manage pests.
      • Providing culturally relevant and accessible education programs promoting IPM practices to residents in low-income communities of color.
      • Promoting the adoption of short wavelength ultraviolet lights (UV-C) to manage pests in California strawberries.

      The 2024 Research Grants Program has up to $800,000 to award for projects of up to three years in length. Projects should develop pest management tools and practices to reduce the use of high-risk pesticides or decrease the impacts of pesticide use on human health and the environment. Project budgets may range from $50,000 to $500,000. Research Grant applications will be accepted through Sept. 14.

      The 2024 Alliance Grants Program has up to $1.1 million to award for projects of up to three years in length. Projects should promote or increase sustainable pest management though the implementation, expansion, or adoption of effective, proven and affordable IPM systems or practices. Project budgets may range from $50,000 to $800,000. Alliance Grant applications will be accepted through Jan. 18, 2024.

      For more information on the Alliance Grants and Research Grants programs, including how to apply, please visit the Department of Pesticide Regulation Grants website.

      ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION

      The California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s mission is to protect human health and the environment by fostering safer and sustainable pest management practices and operating a robust regulatory system to monitor and manage the sale and use of pesticides across the state. DPR’s work includes registering all pesticides sold or used in California, conducting scientific evaluation of pesticides to assess and mitigate potential harm to human health or the environment, monitoring for pesticides in the air and water, and enforcing pesticide regulations in coordination with 55 County Agriculture Commissioners and their 500 field inspectors. DPR also conducts outreach to ensure pesticide workers, farmworkers and local communities have access to safety information. DPR invests in innovative research to encourage the development and adoption of integrated pest management tools and practices. More information about DPR can be found at www.cdpr.ca.gov.

  • California Unveils Plan to Eliminate High-Risk Pesticides by 2050

    Today, the state joined leaders from a diverse range of backgrounds to unveil a roadmap of ambitious goals and actions to accelerate California’s systemwide transition to sustainable pest management and eliminate prioritized high-risk pesticides by 2050 to better protect the health of our communities and environment, while supporting agriculture, food systems and community well-being.

    The Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap for California – released by the Department of Pesticide Regulation, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture – charts a course for the state’s transition to sustainable pest management in agricultural and urban settings.

    The roadmap was developed over nearly two years by a diverse, cross-sector group of stakeholders representing conventional and organic agriculture, urban environments, community and environmental groups, tribes, researchers, and government.

    “For decades, California has used pesticides to protect our crops, our cities, our homes, and our businesses from pests,” said Yana Garcia, California’s Secretary for Environmental Protection. “Exposure to harmful pesticides carries risks – to our health and to our environment – and these risks are disproportionately borne by communities already overburdened by pollution. If we truly want to build a healthy and safe California for all, we must phase out and replace the highest-risk pesticides, and the Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap is a bold, new plan to get us there.”

    Sustainable pest management is a holistic, systemwide approach that builds on the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) by incorporating essential elements of human health and social equity, environmental protection, and economic vitality. IPM uses the least toxic, effective method to solve pest problems. While IPM has been practiced to varying degrees for decades, it hasn’t been adopted at scale, across the board, in agriculture or in urban or wildland settings, which is why the holistic, systemwide approach recommended through the Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap is a necessary evolution.

    “The Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap recognizes how the management of pest pressures is strongly interconnected with resilient farm and ecosystems, and the health of farmworker and communities. said CDFA Secretary, Karen Ross. “We have a lot of work ahead to implement the approaches outlined in the roadmap. However, the implementation of these recommendations will ensure an abundant and healthful food supply, protect our natural resources, and create healthy, resilient communities.”

    The Sustainable Pest Management Work Group was formed in response to both a recommendation from the state’s Chlorpyrifos Alternatives Work Group, and the Governor’s, CalEPA’s and DPR’s recognition of the need to accelerate a holistic, systemwide approach to safer, more sustainable pest management. The Work Group was comprised of 25 members representing diverse interests to address sustainable pest management in agricultural settings, and an additional eight members formed an urban subgroup to address urban pest pressures specifically.

    “Successfully transitioning to sustainable pest management requires collective action,” said DPR Director, Julie Henderson. “The critical actions outlined in the roadmap include prioritizing prevention, coordinating state-level leadership, investing in building knowledge about sustainable pest management, improving the state’s registration and evaluation process to bring more sustainable alternatives to market and enhancing monitoring and statewide data collection to better inform actions.”

    DPR opened a public comment period on the prioritization and implementation of next steps outlined in the Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap. The comment period opened today and will close at 5 p.m. on March 13, 2023. Comments can be sent to alternatives@cdpr.ca.gov or by mail to 1001 I Street, P.O. Box 4015, Sacramento, CA 95812. Comments received will be considered as part of the state-level coordination on implementing the recommendations in the Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap.

    DPR and partner agencies will additionally host a series of webinars to discuss the recommendations and actions outlined in the Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap for both agricultural and urban landscapes. The webinars are planned for February 2023 and more information will be available on DPR’s website.

    ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION

    The California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s mission is to protect human health and the environment by fostering safer and sustainable pest management practices and operating a robust regulatory system to monitor and manage the sale and use of pesticides across the state. DPR’s work includes registering all pesticides sold or used in California, conducting scientific evaluation of pesticides to assess and mitigate potential harm to human health or the environment, monitoring for pesticides in the air and water, and enforcing pesticide regulations in coordination with 55 County Agriculture Commissioners and their 400 field inspectors. DPR also conducts outreach to ensure pesticide workers, farmworkers and local communities have access to safety information. DPR invests in innovative research to encourage the development and adoption of integrated pest management tools and practices. More information about DPR can be found at www.cdpr.ca.gov.

  • Julie Henderson Confirmed as California DPR Director

    The California State Senate confirmed the appointment of Julie Henderson as director of the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.

    Henderson’s formal confirmation – passed on a 29 to 0 vote  – follows her appointment by Gov. Gavin Newsom in December 2021.

    Henderson was acting director from July 2021 until her appointment. Prior to joining DPR, Henderson served as the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Deputy Secretary for Public Policy, beginning in November 2017.

    “Julie’s vision of collaboration, equity and sustainability will move this department forward as the state works to support a thriving agricultural sector while elevating public health and the environment,” said Jared Blumenfeld, California Secretary for Environmental Protection. “Californians will benefit from her continued focus on the adoption of safer, more sustainable pest management practices.”

    “I’m honored to serve in this position to help protect all Californians and our environment,” Henderson said. “I’m grateful to Governor Newsom for giving me this opportunity and to the Senate for their confirmation of my appointment.”

    Since joining DPR, Henderson has led several environmental, public health and community engagement initiatives with DPR staff and state agency partners. Under Henderson’s leadership, DPR worked with CalEPA and the Department of Food and Agriculture in convening the Sustainable Pest Management Work Group in 2021.

    The group is preparing to release a draft roadmap focused on accelerating the systemwide adoption of sustainable pest management in agricultural and urban settings to promote human health and safety, ecosystem resilience, agricultural sustainability, community wellbeing and economic vitality. The work group includes by representatives of a wide range of industry, community and environmental stakeholders, along with academic and government partners. The roadmap is expected to be released this fall.

    Henderson also led DPR in awarding $3.15 million in grants in July to fund research into sustainable pest management practices in agricultural, urban, and wildland settings. The department also awarded about $1.8 million in grants to fund projects that promote implementation and use of sustainable pest management strategies.

    “This is an exciting time for DPR and the state as a whole,” said Henderson. “I’m honored to be a part of this important work.”

    ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION

    The California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s mission is to protect human health and the environment by fostering safer and sustainable pest management practices and operating a robust regulatory system to monitor and manage the sale and use of pesticides across the state. DPR’s work includes registering all pesticides sold or used in California, conducting scientific evaluation of pesticides to assess and mitigate potential harm to human health or the environment, monitoring for pesticides in the air and water, and enforcing pesticide regulations in coordination with 55 County Agriculture Commissioners and their 400 field inspectors. DPR also conducts outreach to ensure pesticide workers, farmworkers and local communities have access to safety information. DPR invests in innovative research to encourage the development and adoption of integrated pest management tools and practices. More information about DPR can be found at www.cdpr.ca.gov.

  • Novel Strawberry IPM Tool Included in CA DPR Grant Funding

    The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) announced $1.78 million in Alliance Grants for five projects that aim to increase the speed and the scale at which safer, more sustainable pest management practices are adopted across the state. Each project will promote innovative Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems and practices in agricultural, urban or wildland settings.

    “Alliance Grants directly support the department’s mission to foster methods and tools to reduce reliance on pesticides and their impact on human health and the environment,” said DPR Director Julie Henderson. “We are excited by the potential of these five projects and will continue to invest in projects that promote the development and use of safer, more sustainable pest management.”

    DPR’s Alliance Grants Program funds projects that promote IPM, an approach that uses the least-toxic, effective method to solve pest problems. Since 2007, DPR has awarded more than $7.8 million in Alliance Grants. The enhanced funds for the 2022 DPR Grants Programs cycle were allocated by the 2021-22 state budget and represent a more than five-fold increase in available funding opportunities compared to historical funding levels.

    Alliance Grants are awarded to groups of experts and partners, also referred to as Alliance Teams, who work collaboratively to accomplish the goals of a given project.

    Alliance projects funded for agricultural pest management:

    • Promoting IPM practices that incorporate natural-enemy habitat to control pest insects. This project’s Alliance Team will engage in outreach with producers and agricultural professionals through videos that feature producers and researchers, field days and webinars, which will include an online continuing education course for pesticide applicators. This project will be led by Jo Ann Baumgartner at Wild Farm Alliance, a local non-profit conservation group in Watsonville.
    • Promoting the adoption of UV-C light, a non-chemical control, by strawberry growers on California strawberry farms. This project’s Alliance Team will showcase UV-C light as an effective, non-chemical alternative to chemical pesticides for controlling mites, mildew and mold. This project will be led by Dr. John Lin at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

    Alliance projects funded for urban pest management:

    • Addressing management of Argentine ants, the most common nuisance ant for which pesticide treatments are applied in urban environments. The Alliance Team for this project is focused on the implementation and promotion of a low-impact IPM approach for pest management professionals that uses pheromone attractants during initial treatment visits and targeted chemical baiting for maintenance visits, to reduce reliance on repeated use of insecticide sprays. This project will be led by Dr. Dong-Hwan Choe at University of California, Riverside.
    • Home visits to provide IPM education and intervention to disadvantaged communities in South Los Angeles. To improve the health and well-being of South Los Angeles residents, this project’s Alliance Team will make home visits to each family that enrolls in the program. The team will assess housing conditions; provide IPM interventions, including caulking cracks and sealing large holes; and offer other IPM education on reducing pest infestations. This project will be led by Nancy Ibrahim at Esperanza Community Housing.

    Alliance projects funded for wildlands pest management:

    • Combining manual removal of invasive primrose with native plant restoration through a private property owner incentive program, and an AmeriCorps partnership that will provide education and outreach to the community. The Alliance Team for this project is focused on management of creeping water primrose, an invasive aquatic plant, that is usually controlled with chemical pesticides. This project’s combination of IPM methods will improve water quality, protect fish habitat and enhance flood protection and prevention, as well as create strong and sustainable natural vegetative wetland communities around the shores of Clear Lake, California. This project will be led by Angela De Palma-Dow at the Lake County Watershed Protection District.For details about past recipients of DPR’s Grants Programs, please visit our department’s Pest Management Grants webpage.

      ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION

      The California Department of Pesticide Regulation protects human health and the environment by fostering safer and sustainable pest management practices and operating a robust regulatory system to evaluate and register pesticides and monitor and regulate their sale and use across the state.

      DPR’s work includes conducting scientific evaluations of pesticides to assess and mitigate potential harm to human health and the environment prior to and following registration registering all pesticides prior to sale or use in California, monitoring for pesticides in the air and water, and enforcing pesticide laws and regulations in coordination with 55 County Agricultural Commissioners and their combined 400 field inspectors across the state’s 58 counties. DPR invests in innovative research, outreach, and education to encourage the development and adoption of integrated pest management tools and practices and conducts outreach to ensure pesticide workers, farmworkers and local communities have access to pesticide safety information.

  • $4.65 Million DPR Grant Application to Fund Innovative Solutions Supporting More Sustainable Pest Management Tools

    The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) today opened the application period for the 2023 Alliance and Research Grants cycle, offering $4.65 million in potential funding to accelerate the transition to safer, more sustainable pest management in agricultural, urban and wildland settings.

    “California is a leader in the development of more sustainable pest management,” said DPR Director Julie Henderson. “DPR-funded grant projects are critical to identifying and fostering new methods and tools to reduce reliance on pesticides and their impact on human health and the environment.”

    The increased funding for the 2023 Alliance and Research Grants, provided for in the 2021-2022 state budget, supports the state’s goal to accelerate and increase the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in agricultural, urban, and wildland settings. IPM is an innovative approach to pest management that uses the least-toxic, most effective method to solve pest problems.

    Over the last 20 years, the department has invested more than $22 million to fund 92 projects within the Research and Alliance Grant programs. Last year’s DPR Grants Programs cycle represented the first year of increased funding allocated by the state budget. The department awarded $3.75 million in Research Grants to fund 10 research projects that explore IPM tools for urban, non-agricultural and agricultural pest management. DPR expects to award an additional $1.8 million in Alliance Grants funding later this month.

    The 2023 Research Grants Program will award grants for projects up to two and a half years in length that develop pest management tools and practices to reduce the use of high-risk pesticides or decrease the impacts of pest management chemicals on public health and the environment. Project budgets may range from $50,000 to $3.15 million. Research Grant applications will be accepted through Thursday, September 22, 2022.

    Highlights from past Research Grants projects include:

    • Evaluated drone-based releases of biocontrol organisms.
    • Tested non-chemical entrapment surfaces for monitoring and control of bedbugs.
    • Studied the effects of pesticide-free plant immunity enhancing materials.
    • Developed standardized practices for transplant greenhouses to reduce the need for fungicides.

    The 2023 Alliance Grants Program will award grants for projects up to two and a half years in length that promote or increase the implementation, expansion and/or adoption of effective, proven and affordable IPM systems or practices. Project budgets may range from $50,000 to $1.5 million. Alliance Grant applications will be accepted through Thursday, December 8, 2022.

    Highlights from past Alliance Grants projects include:

    • Provided land managers with the best available information regarding invasive plant management through the use of an online decision support tool.
    • Drove the adoption of mating disruption among small almond, pistachio and walnut growers within field clusters.
    • Conducted outreach on sustainable pest management methods to small growers in the Hmong and Iu-Mien communities.
    • Developed herbicide-free best practices for combating invasive plants in native habitats.

    For more information on the Alliance Grants and Research Grants Programs, including how to join our virtual information sessions aimed at providing grant applicants with additional information and answering questions on how to apply, please visit our department’s website.

    ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION

    The California Department of Pesticide Regulation protects human health and the environment by fostering safer and sustainable pest management practices and operating a robust regulatory system to evaluate and register pesticides and monitor and regulate their sale and use across the state.

    DPR’s work includes conducting scientific evaluations of pesticides to assess and mitigate potential harm to human health and the environment prior to and following registration, registering all pesticides prior to sale or use in California, monitoring for pesticides in the air and water, and enforcing pesticide laws and regulations in coordination with 55 County Agricultural Commissioners and their combined 400 field inspectors across the state’s 58 counties. DPR invests in innovative research, outreach, and education to encourage the development and adoption of integrated pest management tools and practices and conducts outreach to ensure pesticide workers, farmworkers and local communities have access to pesticide safety information.

  • Pesticides, Air Quality and Upcoming Statewide Notification System Explained

    California has allocated $10 million to begin the development of a statewide system the provides information to the public about pesticides used around them. DPR is working in partnership with several agricultural commissioners on local pilot projects as part of the development of the system this year. Watch this brief interview with Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner Ruben Arroyo as he explains what this means for the public and agriculture.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.