Pesticide Use Enforcement Program Planning – Fiscal Year 2005/2006 Baseline Work Plan Development and Negotiations

Last October, the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) issued its Pesticide Use Enforcement Program Planning and Evaluation Guidance (ENF 04-23). In this guidance document, DPR increased the pesticide use enforcement (PUE) program planning cycle to two years, introduced the concept of “core program” for activity prioritization, and clarified state and local roles with respect to program oversight and implementation. The first cycle, October 2004 through June 2006, is a transition phase that consists of two distinct periods:

1. Fiscal Year (FY) 04/05 – County Agricultural Commissioners (CAC) evaluate their PUE core programs, document their findings, and develop draft baseline work plans based on their findings.

2. FY 05/06 – CACs negotiate, implement, and monitor their baseline enforcement work plans.

Since we are coming to the end of FY 04/05, it is time to complete your PUE core program evaluations, document your findings, draft a baseline work plan, and initiate work plan negotiations with your Enforcement Branch Liaison (EBL). Adhering to this schedule will allow you adequate time to complete this negotiation process and begin implementing your baseline work plan for 2005/2006.

DPR will approve enforcement work plans that have clearly stated goals and deliverables and a commitment to full core program implementation. At a minimum, each work plan must include a description of your county´s PUE program resources, corrective actions (where applicable), and core PUE program priorities. If you have resources in excess of that needed to fully implement your core PUE program, then you may consider adding non-core program activities (e.g., outreach) to your work plan. DPR will not approve work plans that fail to meet the minimum content requirements or those where non-core activities detract from your ability to implement your core PUE program responsibilities. Your EBL is available to assist you in identifying innovative ways to combine desirable activities with your core program responsibilities.

Your EBL will be evaluating your PUE program for this past year and provide you with a letter that reviews the actions you have taken to implement our new program direction outlined in the Pesticide Use Enforcement Program Planning and Evaluation Guidance document

As I have mentioned to you, DPR is committed to working with you and your staff to fully implement this new guidance and evaluation process.

Sincerely,