Department of Pesticide Regulation

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April 3, 2000

ENF 2000-016

TO: County Agricultural Commissioners

SUBJECT: 2000-2001 MARKETPLACE SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM

The Department of Pesticide Regulation's (DPR's) Pesticide Enforcement Branch has merged the Priority Pesticide Program with the Marketplace Surveillance Program. The Priority Pesticide Program will be phased out in fiscal year 2000-2001. The Marketplace Surveillance Program is a regulatory program designed to monitor compliance with pesticide laws and help ensure that any detected pesticide residues are within the established tolerance levels. This commodity-based program will provide useful residue data for dietary risk assessment.

During the past thirteen years, DPR has contracted with counties to collect produce samples for dietary risk assessment data under the Priority Pesticide Program. Fiscal year 2000-2001 is the last year DPR will be contracting with counties for this sample collection. Counties that had a contract during fiscal year 1999-2000 are invited to submit a proposal to participate during 2000-2001.

The 2000-2001 contract will focus on the following fresh, raw agricultural commodities: apricot, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, celery, cherry, citrus, corn (sweet), nectarine, pea (succulent), pear, pepper (bell), plum, potatoes, strawberry, tomato, and watermelon. Samples must be collected from packinghouses and the field at packing time. The pesticide application history, operator identification numbers, and site identification numbers will no longer be required.

The 2000-2001 contract will operate under the Marketplace Surveillance Program Protocol because all samples collected will be analyzed for illegal residues. Samples must be delivered to the laboratory within 24 hours of collection. Twelve samples must be collected in one day and samples will be analyzed only on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Laboratories require samples be submitted by 7:00 a.m. so they can be analyzed the same day.

All commodities will be run through a multi-residue screen (organophosphate, carbamate, and chlorinated hydrocarbons) to detect a total of more than 200 pesticides, metabolites, and breakdown products. All commodities will be analyzed for illegal residues. State and county staff will coordinate follow-up to illegal residues. Possible detection of multiple pesticide residues on a given commodity will provide useful information to evaluate the cumulative effects of residues that have a common mechanism of toxicity.

Those of you who are interested in participating in the 2000-2001 Marketplace Surveillance Program must submit a proposal to the Pesticide Enforcement Branch by April 24, 2000. Your proposal must include a list of commodities to sample, the total for each commodity, and the cost per sample collection. The sample collection costs must remain the same as the amount in the 1999-2000 contract. The Pesticide Enforcement Branch will calendar your collection days.

If you have any questions about the program or sampling protocol, please contact Ms. Terry Schmer, of my staff, at (916) 445-4023.

Sincerely,

original signed by

David Duncan, Acting Chief
Pesticide Enforcement Branch
(916) 445-3871

cc: Mr. Daniel J. Merkley, Agricultural Commissioner Liaison
Ms. Terry Schmer