Department of Pesticide Regulation

PESTICIDE USE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM PLANNING AND EVALUATION GUIDANCE

Enclosed is the Pesticide Use Enforcement Program Planning Guidance and Evaluation document. This guidance represents a continuation of the core program priorities that the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) initiated in October 2004 (ENF 2004-023). DPR and the County Agricultural Commissioners (CACs) have worked diligently over the past four years to evaluate and implement an effective pesticide use enforcement program at the local, regional, and statewide levels based on that guidance.

The focus continues to be on core pesticide enforcement program elements of restricted materials permitting, compliance monitoring, and enforcement response priorities. Efforts at program improvement will be directed toward fully developing and refining these elements. I am asking you and your Enforcement Branch Liaison (EBL) to determine the planning and performance evaluation frequency that best fits the complexity of your program. In addition, I am requesting that you include a commitment in your work plans to better coordinate our joint oversight inspections with your EBLs.

Please note that the work plan time lines have been changed to a calendar year, based on a recommendation from the CAC/DPR Enforcement Calendar and Data Workgroup. These new time lines were presented at the May 2008 Pesticide Regulatory Affairs Committee meeting. Under the revised timelines, current work plans that expire on June 30, 2008 will be extended through December 2008. Draft work plans for 2009 should be submitted to your EBL by November 30, 2008 and finalized by January 15, 2009. Under the new time line, DPR will complete work plan evaluations by October 1.

Current work plans that expire next year or 2010 will also be extended by six months and convert to a calendar year timeline as outlined above.

Also enclosed is the County Pesticide Regulatory Program 2007-08 Performance Evaluation Report template, which the EBLs will use to write their reports. The Regional Office Supervisors will meet individually with each County Agricultural Commissioner to review their county's overall performance and discuss any program deficiencies noted.

I want to reiterate the importance of an effective statewide pesticide use enforcement program in protecting farmers, farm workers, our communities, and the environment. We have been entrusted with this responsibility and it is incumbent on all of us to do our part to assure our programs are fair, equitable, and effective.

If you have questions, contact your Enforcement Branch Liaison or Regional Office Supervisor.

• Pesticide Use Enforcement Program Planning Guidance and Evaluation, PDF (54 kb)
• County Pesticide Regulatory Program 2007-08 Performance Evaluation Report Draft Template, PDF (16 kb)

cc:   Mr. Chris Reardon, DPR Chief Deputy Director
        Mr. Chuck Andrews, DPR Acting Assistant Director
        Mr. Ralph Shields, DPR Northern Regional Office
        Ms. Ada Ann Scott, DPR Central Regional Office
        Mr. Jahan Motakef, DPR Southern Regional Office
        Mr. James Shattuck, Agricultural Commissioner Liaison
        Enforcement Branch Liaisons