State Budget Advances California’s Transition to Safer and Sustainable Pest Management Practices

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Approved FY 2021-22 budget funds community notification, integrated pest management, monitoring, community engagement and enforcement programs

The California Capitol building in Sacramento.

CalEPA and DPR leaders are taking bold steps in pest management solutions that accelerate the transition toward safer and more sustainable tools and practices. This shift is critical to improving the health of all Californians and protecting our environment, while continuing to support a strong agricultural economy.

With $36.5 million allocated over two years in the 2021-22 state budget, DPR is positioned to bolster existing scientific and grant programs that promote safer, more sustainable pest management practices, enhance environmental monitoring activities, and continue to strengthen its enforcement and community engagement activities.

"The way we manage pests has an impact on our environment and I am thrilled to see California’s investments to transition to safer and sustainable pest management practices," said CalEPA Secretary Jared Blumenfeld. "As we increase our outreach to communities across the state to foster this transition, DPR is simultaneously developing a statewide notification network so Californians have equitable access to information about local hazardous pesticide applications and everyone has an opportunity to take steps to protect against potential pesticide exposures."

The state has committed $10 million toward the development of a statewide community notification system, the Pesticide Notification Network. A public notification system will advance environmental justice and further protect public health by providing transparent and equitable access to information about the application of certain pesticides near where you live, work or play. DPR will develop the Pesticide Notification Network through a public process to give all stakeholders and the public an opportunity to provide input into its design.

Highlights from the 2021-2022 budget include:

  • Increased grant funding for projects and scientists that are exploring pesticide alternatives and methods that promote integrated pest management (IPM) practices.
  • Bolstered grant funding for the California Department of Food and Agriculture, as well as the University of California and California State Universities, to expand research, education and promotion of IPM practices statewide.
  • Funding collection events for communities in agricultural and urban areas to properly dispose of harmful and toxic pesticides, in partnership with County Agricultural Commissioners.
  • Launching air monitoring studies for pesticides that may become airborne, such as fumigants and higher-risk "restricted" pesticides. Funding will also be used to explore new monitoring technology to improve the overall DPR Air Monitoring Network.
  • Enhancing ecosystem monitoring to improve DPR’s ongoing pesticide evaluations.
  • Expanding engagement with agricultural and farmworker communities to provide equitable access to information and input into decisions that impact their health and environment.

For content questions, contact:
Leia Bailey
Assistant Director
DPR Office of Communications
1001 I Street, P.O. Box 4015
Sacramento, CA 95812-4015
Phone: (916) 445-4300
E-mail: Leia.Bailey@cdpr.ca.gov