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Summary of Pesticide Use Report Data 2004
Indexed by Chemical

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CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION
California Environmental Protection Agency
1001 I Street
Sacramento, California 95814-3510
Arnold Schwarzengger, Governor
Alan Lloyd, Secretary for Environmental Protection
Mary-Ann Warmerdam, Director
Department of Pesticide Regulation

California State Seal logo

January 2006

Any portion of this report may be reproduced for any but profit-making purposes.
For information on purchase of additional copies or of electronic data files, see order form.
This report is also available on DPR's Web site
If you have questions concerning this report, call (916) 324-4100.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

ORDER FORM

I.  INTRODUCTION

II.  COMMENTS AND CLARIFICATIONS OF DATA

III.  DATA SUMMARY

IV.  TRENDS IN USE IN CERTAIN PESTICIDE CATEGORIES

V.  TRENDS IN PESTICIDE USE IN CERTAIN COMMODITIES

VI.  SUMMARY OF PESTICIDE USE REPORT DATA 2004 INDEXED BY CHEMICAL This link downloads the compressed ASCII version. This version does not include figures. See UNZIP HELP)

Questions regarding the Summary of Pesticide Use Report Data or information regarding the availability and cost of the computerized database should be directed to: Department of Pesticide Regulation, Pest Management and Licensing Branch, P.O. Box 4015, Sacramento, California 95812-4015.Telephone (916) 445-3887 or email questions to mwilliams@cdpr.ca.gov.

ORDER FORM

To continue to make the Summary of Pesticide Use Report Data available, it is necessary to charge for the costs of reproduction and mailing. The reports can also be downloaded free of charge from the Department's web site.

The 1989 - 2004 Summary of Pesticide Use Report Data indexed by chemical or commodity reports can be found on DPR's web at www.cdpr.ca.gov. The Annual Pesticide Use Report Data (the complete database of reported pesticide applications for 1990-2004) are available on CD ROM. The files are in text (comma delimited format).

The Summary of Pesticide Use Report Data is available in two formats. One report is indexed by chemical and lists the amount of each pesticide used, the commodity on which it was used, the number of agricultural applications, and the acres/units treated. The second report is indexed by commodity and lists the chemicals used, the number of agricultural applications, amount of pesticides used, and the acres/units treated.

I. INTRODUCTION

Development and Implementation of the Pesticide Use Reporting System

This 2004 Summary of Pesticide Use Report Data includes agricultural applications and other selected uses reported in California. The report represents a summary of the data gathered under full use reporting. The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) uses the data to help estimate dietary risk and to ensure compliance with clean air laws as well as ground water protection regulations. Site-specific use report data, combined with geographic data on endangered species habitats, also helps county agricultural commissioners resolve potential pesticide use conflicts. Detailed, individual pesticide use report data may be obtained from DPR for in-depth, analytical purposes.

Under full use reporting, which began in 1990, California became the first state to require reporting of all agricultural pesticide use, including amounts applied and types of crops or places
(e.g., structures, roadsides) treated. Commercial applications-including structural fumigation, pest control, and turf applications-must also be reported. The main exceptions to full use reporting are home and garden applications, and most industrial and institutional uses. Pesticide use reporting is explained in more detail below.

Types of Pesticide Applications Reported

Partial reporting of agricultural pesticide use has been in place in California since at least the 1950s. Beginning in 1970, anyone who used restricted materials was required to file a pesticide use report with the county agricultural commissioner. The criteria established to designate a pesticide as a restricted material include:

  • hazard to public health farm workers
  • domestic animals
  • honeybees
  • the environment
  • wildlife
  • other crops

Restricted materials, with certain exceptions, may be possessed or used only by, or under the supervision of, licensed or certified persons and only in accordance with an annual permit issued by a county agricultural commissioner.

In addition, the State required commercial pest control operators to report all pesticides used, whether restricted or nonrestricted. These reports included information about the pesticide applied, when and where the application was made, and the crop involved if the application was in agriculture. The reports were entered into a computerized database and summarized by chemical and crop in annual reports.

With implementation of full use reporting in 1990, the following pesticide uses are required to be reported to the commissioner, who, in turn, reports the data to DPR:

  • For the production of any agricultural commodity, except livestock.
  • For the treatment of postharvest agricultural commodities.
  • For landscape maintenance in parks, golf courses, and cemeteries.
  • For roadside and railroad rights-of-way.
  • For poultry and fish production.
  • Any application of a restricted material.
  • Any application of a pesticide with the potential to pollute ground water (listed in section      6800 (b) of the California Code of Regulations, Title 3, Division 6, Chapter 4, Subchapter 1, Article 1) when used outdoors in industrial and institutional settings.
  • Any application by a licensed pest control operator.

The primary exceptions to the use reporting requirements are home and garden use and most industrial and institutional uses.

HOW PESTICIDE DATA ARE USED

DPR undertook the expansion of use reporting primarily in response to concerns of many individuals and groups, including government officials, scientists, farmers, legislators, and public interest groups. It was generally acknowledged that the system for estimating dietary exposure to pesticide residues did not provide sufficient data on which to make realistic assessments; this often resulted in overestimates of risk. Farm worker representatives were also asking for more information to determine exposure and potential risk to those who handle pesticides or who work in treated fields.

There are several key areas in which data generated by full use reporting are proving beneficial.

Risk Assessment

Without information on actual pesticide use, regulatory agencies conducting risk assessment assume all planted crop acreage is treated with many pesticides, even though most crops are treated with just a few chemicals. If the assumptions used by regulatory agencies are incorrect, regulators could make judgments on pesticide risks that are too cautious by several orders of magnitude, reducing the credibility of risk management decisions. The use report data, on the other hand, provides actual use data so DPR can better assess risk and make more realistic risk management decisions.

After the passage of the federal Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) in 1996, complete pesticide use data became even more important to commodity groups in California and to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). FQPA contains a new food safety standard against which all pesticide tolerances must be measured. The increased interest in the state's pesticide use data, especially for calculating percent crop treated, came at a time when DPR was increasing the efficiency with which it produced its annual report. DPR was able to provide up-to-date use data and summaries to commodity groups, University of California specialists, U.S. EPA programs, and other interested parties as they developed the necessary information for the reassessment of existing tolerances.

Worker Health and Safety

Under the reporting regulations, pest control operators must give farmers a written notice after every pesticide application that includes the date and time the application was completed, and the reentry and preharvest intervals. This notice gives the farmer accurate information to help keep workers from entering fields prematurely, and also lets the farmer know the earliest date a commodity can be harvested.

DPR's Worker Health and Safety Branch also uses the data for worker exposure assessment as part of developing an overall risk characterization document. Use data helps scientists estimate typical applications and how often pesticides are used.

Public Health

The expanded reporting system provides DPR, the State Department of Health Services, and the Office of Environmental Health Hazards Assessment with complete pesticide use data for evaluating possible human illness clusters in epidemiological studies.

Endangered Species

DPR works with the county agricultural commissioners to combine site-specific use report data with geographic information system-based data on locations of endangered species. The resulting database helps commissioners resolve potential conflicts over pesticide use where endangered species may occur. DPR and the commissioners can also examine patterns of pesticide use near habitats to determine the potential impact of proposed use limitations. With location-specific data on pesticide use, restrictions on use can be better designed to protect endangered species while still allowing necessary pest control.

Water Quality

Since 1983, DPR has had a program to work with the rice industry and the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board to reduce contamination of surface water by rice pesticides. Using PUR data to help in pinpointing specific agricultural practices, more precise alternative use recommendations can be made to assure protection of surface water.

In 1985, the Pesticide Contamination Prevention Act of 1985 was passed, and it requires site-specific records to help track pesticide use in areas known to be susceptible to ground water contamination. Determinations can also be made from the records on whether a contaminated well is physically associated with agricultural practices. These records also provide data to help researchers determine why certain soil types are more prone to ground water contamination.

Air Quality

Many pesticide products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that contribute to the formation of smog. DPR worked with the state Air Resources Board to put together a State Implementation Plan under the federal Clean Air Act to reduce emissions of all sources of VOCs, including pesticides, in nonattainment areas of the state. DPR's contribution to the plan included accurate data on the amount of VOCs contained in pesticides and the ability to inventory the use of those pesticides through pesticide use reporting.

Pest Management

The Department uses the PUR database to understand patterns and changes in pest management practices. This information can be used to determine possible alternatives to pesticides that are subject to regulatory actions and to help determine possible impacts of different regulatory actions on pest management.

The PUR is used to help meet the needs of FQPA, which requires pesticide use information for determining the appropriateness of pesticide residue tolerances. As part of this process many commodity groups have created crop profiles, which include information on the pest management practices and available options, both chemical and nonchemical. Pesticide use data is critical to developing these lists of practices and options.

The PUR data have been used to support and assess grant projects for a grant program conducted by DPR to develop, demonstrate and implement reduced-hazard pest management strategies from 1995 to 2003. Due to the statewide budget shortfall, funds are not currently available to offer grants. However, the PUR data is used in several projects that build on work conducted in our grant program in the almond and stonefruit industries. In these and other projects, the PUR data are used to address regional pesticide use patterns and environmental problems such as water and air quality. The data are also used to better understand current changes in pesticide use.

DPR has published general analyses of statewide pesticide use patterns and trends. The first analysis covered the years 1991 to 1995, and the second more detailed analysis covered 1991 to 1996. These analyses identified high-use pesticides, the crops to which those pesticides were applied, trends in use, and the pesticides most responsible for changes in use. In addition, since 1997, the annual Summary of Pesticide Use Report Data reports include summary trends of pesticides in several different categories such as carcinogens, reproductive toxins, and ground water contaminants.

Processor and Retailer Requirements

Food processors, produce packers, and retailers often require farmers to submit a complete history of pesticide use on crops. DPR's use report form often satisfies this requirement.


II. COMMENTS AND CLARIFICATIONS OF DATA

The following comments and points should be taken into consideration when analyzing data contained in this report:

TERMINOLOGY

The following terminology is used in this report:

Number of agricultural applications - Number of applications of pesticide products made to production agriculture.  More detailed information is given below under " Number of Applications."
Pounds applied - Number of pounds of an active ingredient.
Unit type - The amount listed in this column is one of the following:
A = Acreage
C = Cubic feet (of commodity treated)
K = Thousand cubic feet (of commodity treated)
P = Pounds (of commodity treated)
S = Square feet
T = Tons (of commodity treated)
U = Miscellaneous units (e.g., number of tractors, trees, bins, etc.)

COMMODITY CODES

DPR's pesticide product label database is used to cross-check data entries to determine if the product reported used is registered on the reported commodity. The DPR label database uses a crop coding system based on crop names used by the U.S. EPA to prepare official label language. However, this system caused some problems until DPR modified it in the early 1990s to account for U.S. EPA's grouping of certain crops under generic names. Problems occurred when the label language in the database called a crop by one name, and the use report used another. For example, a grower may have reported a pesticide use on " almonds," but the actual label on the pesticide product--coded into the database--stated the pesticide was to be used on " nuts." To eliminate records being rejected as " errors" because the specific commodity listed on the use report is not on the label, DPR modified the database. To designate a commodity not specifically listed on the label as a correct use, a qualifier code is appended to the commodity code in the label database. A qualifier code would be attached to the " almond" code when nuts are only listed on the label. This system greatly reduces the number of rejections.

Plants and commodities grown in greenhouse and nursery operations represented a challenge in use reporting because of their diversity. Six commodity groupings were suggested by industry in 1990 and incorporate terminology that are generally known and accepted. The six use reporting categories are: greenhouse-grown cut flowers or greens; outdoor-grown cut flowers or greens; greenhouse-grown plants in containers; outdoor container/field-grown plants; greenhouse-grown transplants/propagative material; and outdoor-grown transplants/propagative material.

Tomatoes and grapes were also separated into two categories because of public and processor interest in differentiating pesticide use. Tomatoes are assigned two codes to differentiate between fresh market and processing categories. One code was assigned to table grapes, which includes grapes grown for fresh market, raisins, canning, or juicing. A second code was assigned to wine grapes.

UNREGISTERED USE

The report contains entries that reflect the use of a pesticide on a commodity for which the pesticide is not currently registered. This sometimes occurs because the original use report was in error, that is, either the pesticide or the commodity was inaccurately reported. DPR's computer program checks that the commodity is listed on the label, but nonetheless such errors appear in the PUR, possibly because of errors in the label database. Also, the validation program does not check whether the pesticide product was registered at the time of application. For example, parathion (ethyl parathion) is shown reported on crops after most uses were suspended in 1992. (These records are researched and corrected as time and resources allow.) DPR continues to implement methods which identify and reduce these types of reporting errors in future reports. Other instances may occur because by law, growers are sometimes allowed to use stock they have on hand of a pesticide product that has been withdrawn from the market by the manufacturer or suspended or canceled by regulatory authorities.

Other reporting " errors" may occur when a pesticide is applied directly to a site to control a particular pest, but is not applied directly to the crop in the field. A grower may use an herbicide to treat weeds on the edge of a field, a fumigant on bare soil prior to planting, or a rodenticide to treat rodent burrows. For example, reporting the use of the herbicide glyphosate on tomatoes - when it was actually applied to bare soil prior to planting the tomatoes - could be perceived to be an error. Although technically incorrect, recording the data as if the application were made directly to the commodity provides valuable crop usage information for DPR's regulatory program.

ADJUVANTS

Data on spray adjuvants (including emulsifiers, wetting agents, foam suppressants, and other efficacy enhancers), not reported prior to full use reporting, are now included. Examples of these types of chemicals include the " alkyls" and some petroleum distillates. (Adjuvants are exempt from federal registration requirements, but must be registered as pesticides in California.)

ZERO POUNDS APLLIED

There are a few entries in this report in which the total pounds applied for certain active ingredients are displayed as zero. This is because the chemical (active ingredient) made up a very small percentage of the formulated product that was used. When these products are applied in extremely low quantities, the resulting value of the active ingredient is too low to register an amount.

ACRES TREATED

The summary information in this annual report cannot be used to deter­mine the total number of acres of a crop to which pesticides were applied during the year.  Sometimes the product used contains more than one active ingredient. (In any pesticide product, the active ingredient is the component which kills, or otherwise controls, target pests. A pesticide product is made up of one or more active ingredients, as well as one or more inert ingredients.)   For example, if a 20-acre field is treated with a product that contains three different pesticide active ingredients, a use report is filed by the farmer correctly recording the application of a single pesticide product to 20 acres.  However, in the summary tables, the three different active ingredients will each have recorded 20 acres treated. Adding these values results in a total of 60 acres as being treated instead of the 20 acres actually treated.  A similar problem occurs when the same field is treated more than once in the year with the same active ingredient.

NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS

The values for number of applications include only production agricultural applications.  Applicators are required to submit one of two basic types of use reports, a production agricultural report or a monthly summary report. The production agricultural report must include information for each application. The monthly summary report, for all uses other than production agriculture, includes only monthly totals for all applications of pesticide product, site or commodity, and applicator. The total number of applications in the monthly summary reports are not consistently given so they are no longer included in the totals. In the annual PUR reports before 1997, each monthly summary record was counted as one application.

In the annual summary report by commodity, the total number of applications given for each commodity may not equal the sum of all applications of each active ingredient on that commodity. As explained above, some pesticide products contain more than one active ingredient. If the number of applications were summed for each active ingredient in such a product, the total number of applications would be more than one, even though only one application of the product was made. The same logic applies to the annual summary report by chemical.

OUTLIERS

In calculating the total pounds of pesticides used in these tables, DPR excluded values for rates of use which were so large they were probably in error. Errors occur, for example, when those reporting pesticide use shift decimal points during data entry. DPR specialists spent more than a year developing, testing, and implementing software to detect probable errors (outliers). Pesticide rates were considered outliers if (1) they were higher than 200 pounds of active ingredient per acre (or greater than 1,000 pounds per acre for fumigants); (2) they were 50 times larger than the median rate for all uses with the same pesticide product, crop treated, unit treated, and record type (that is, production agricultural or all other use); or (3) they were higher than a value determined by a neural network procedure that approximates what a group of 12 scientists believed were obvious outliers. Although these criteria removed less than one percent of the rate values in the PUR, some rates were so large that if included in the sums, they would have significantly affected total pounds applied of some pesticides. (The outliers are excluded from the total pounds in the summary reports but remain in the database.)

For the years 1991 to 1998, we determined whether or not a use rate was an outlier based on the distribution of rates for all applications on each crop and pesticide during the year of its application. Beginning with the 1999 PUR, we determined outliers in two stages. In the first stage, outliers were identified as data that came to DPR from the counties during the year but based on the distribution of rates from the previous year. This procedure allowed us to include outliers in the error reports sent back to the counties. In the second stage, the outlier program was run after all the current year data were received using the distribution of rates for that year. This procedure found additional outliers for new products and new uses. We currently use the two-stage procedure.

Beginning with the 1999 PUR data, values have been substituted where outliers were identified in the first phase. Nulls were substituted in numeric fields identified as outliers, and "???" were substituted in character fields identified as outliers. A median rate value for use on a commodity/product combination was substituted where a high rate per acre was the error. In addition, "Unknown" was substituted where the reported site code was invalid.

III. DATA SUMMARY

This report is a summary of data submitted to DPR. Total pounds may change slightly due to ongoing error correction. The revised numbers will more accurately reflect the total pounds applied.

PESTICIDE USE IN CALIFORNIA

In 2004, there were 180, 272,161 pounds of pesticide active ingredients reported used in California. Annual use has varied from year to year since full use reporting was implemented in 1990.  For example, reported pesticide use was 176 million pounds in 2003, 172 million pounds in 2002, 151 million pounds in 2001 (not all of Kern County PUR data was available), 188 million pounds in 2000, 203 million pounds in 1999, 214 million pounds in 1998, and 205 million pounds in 1997.

Such variances are, and will continue to be, a normal occurrence. These fluctuations can be attributed to a variety of factors, including changes in planted acreage, crop plantings, pest pressures, and weather conditions. For example, extremely heavy rains result in excessive weeds, thus more pesticides may be used; drought conditions may result in fewer planted acres, thus less pesticide may be used.

As in previous years, the greatest pesticide use occurred in California's San Joaquin Valley

(Table 1). Four counties in this region had the highest use:  Fresno, Kern, Tulare, and San Joaquin.

Table 2 breaks down the pounds of pesticide use by general use categories:  production agriculture, post-harvest commodity fumigation, structural pest control, landscape maintenance, and all others.

PESTICIDE SALES IN CALIFORNIA

Reported pesticide applications are only a portion of the pesticides sold each year. Typically, about two-thirds of the pesticide active ingredients sold in a given year are not subject to use reporting. Examples of non-reported active ingredients are chlorine (used primarily for municipal water treatment) and home-use pesticide products.

The pounds of pesticide active ingredient sold in California in 2004 has not been finalized and is not currently available. There were 645 million pounds sold in 2003, 598 million pounds in 2002, 563 million pounds in 2001, 601 million pounds in 2000, 707 million pounds in 1999, 617 million pounds in 1998, and 645 million pounds in 1997. Prior years data are posted on DPR's web site under programs & services/mill assessment/report of pesticides sold in California.

In addition, it should be noted that the pounds of pesticides used and the number of applications are not necessarily accurate indicators of the extent of pesticide use or, conversely, the extent of use of reduced-risk pest management methods. For example, farmers may make a number of small-scale " spot" applications targeted at problem areas rather than one treatment of a large area. They may replace a more toxic pesticide used at one pound per acre with a less hazardous compound that must be applied at several pounds per acre. Either of these scenarios could increase the number of applications or amount of pounds used without indicating an increased reliance on pesticides.

Table 1. Total pounds of pesticide active ingredients reported in each county and rank during 2003 and 2004.

  2003 Pesticide Use   2004 Pesticide Use  
County Pounds Applied Rank Pounds Applied Rank
Alameda 444,850 37 269,261 41
Alpine 184 58 109 58
Amador 101,889 45 117,736 43
Butte 3,062,292 17 2,962,210 18
Calaveras 57,827 49 92,203 45
Colusa 2,088,248 22 1,809,678 23
Contra Costa 991,115 30 556,561 36
Del Norte 371,176 38 369,627 39
El Dorado 103,487 44 105,982 44
Fresno 27,256,367 1 29,434,260 1
Glenn 2,284,461 21 2,399,082 20
Humboldt 106,514 43 86,266 46
Imperial 6,809,038 8 6,072,783 10
Inyo 51,129 50 27,579 51
Kern 22,905,081 2 23,882,466 2
Kings 5,233,435 11 5,903,039 11
Lake 786,874 32 704,033 32
Lassen 61,347 47 70,447 47
Los Angeles 4,070,598 12 3,674,348 13
Madera 8,614,993 6 8,512,876 6
Marin 59,156 48 56,552 49
Mariposa 16,185 53 24,557 52
Mendocino 1,475,689 27 1,162,903 28
Merced 6,839,552 7 7,707,805 7
Modoc 232,839 42 385,516 37
Mono 24,729 52 1,119 57
Monterey 9,329,416 5 9,114,603 5
Napa 1,934,856 24 2,236,410 21
Nevada 42,098 51 34,792 50
Orange 1,669,090 25 1,469,915 26
Placer 267,931 41 374,618 38
Plumas 14,447 54 11,931 53
Riverside 3,340,585 14 3,242,339 16
Sacramento 3,583,177 13 3,283,459 15
San Benito 743,723 34 624,510 33
San Bernardino 517,631 36 619,459 34
San Diego 2,491,139 20 2,108,419 22
San Francisco 12,085 55 10,794 54
San Joaquin 10,203,204 4 10,036,054 4
San Luis Obispo 2,032,697 23 1,712,208 25
San Mateo 273,273 40 223,683 42
Santa Barbara 3,331,881 15 4,109,252 12
Santa Clara 978,008 31 865,992 30
Santa Cruz 1,643,653 26 1,743,551 24
Shasta 293,445 39 294,416 40
Sierra 4,812 57 3,727 56
Siskiyou 750,180 33 837,675 31
Solano 1,089,607 29 1,025,269 29
Sonoma 2,892,958 18 3,058,405 17
Stanislaus 5,573,755 10 6,138,003 9
Sutter 3,305,776 16 3,624,764 14
Tehama 659,978 35 596,303 35
Trinity 6,917 56 10,223 55
Tulare 13,303,523 3 15,056,053 3
Tuolumne 72,189 46 69,071 48
Ventura 6,644,422 9 7,283,033 8
Yolo 2,644,303 19 2,665,655 19
Yuba 1,427,355 28 1,398,577 27
  175,127,171   180,272,161  

Table 2. Pounds of pesticide active ingredients, 1994 - 2004, by general use categories.

Year Production Agriculture Postharvest Fumigation Structural Pest Control Landscape Maintenance All Others* Total Pounds
1994 175,408,663 2,004,123 5,186,253 1,325,560 7,430,770 191,355,369
1995 187,577,922 3,770,169 4,839,368 1,382,563 7,563,928 205,133,950
1996 182,375,369 1,847,859 4,738,168 1,259,332 7,607,752 197,828,481
1997 189,796,122 1,608,996 5,184,905 1,231,788 6,957,905 204,779,717
1998 198,568,999 1,655,875 5,930,988 1,405,312 6,783,731 214,344,905
1999 185,457,062 2,019,542 5,673,321 1,403,635 7,858,041 202,411,602
2000 172,730,676 2,143,396 5,165,189 1,395,598 6,728,174 188,163,033
2001 138,842,868 1,446,359 4,923,647 1,290,542 6,214,977 152,718,393
2002 152,506,562 1,847,353 5,467,116 1,439,532 6,679,534 167,940,097
2003 158,729,003 1,821,455 5,143,281 1,946,478 7,487,648 175,127,865
2004 164,704,049 1,901,289 5,129,817 1,565,103 6,971,903 180,272,161

* This category includes pesticide applications reported in the following general categories:  pest control on rights-of-way; public health which includes mosquito abatement work; vertebrate pest control; fumigation of nonfood and nonfeed materials such as lumber, furniture, etc.; pesticide used in research; and regulatory pest control used in ongoing control and/eradication of pest infestations.


IV. TRENDS IN USE IN CERTAIN PESTICIDE CATEGORIES

Reported pesticide use in California in 2004 totaled 180 million pounds, an increase of 5.1 million pounds from 2003.  Production agriculture, the major category of use subject to reporting requirements, accounted for most of the overall increase in use. Applications for production agriculture increased by 6.0 million pounds.

The active ingredients (AI) with the largest uses by pounds were sulfur, petroleum oils, metam-sodium, mineral oil, and 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D).  Sulfur use increased by 783,000 pounds (1.5 percent) and was the most highly used non-adjuvant pesticide in 2004, both in pounds applied and acres treated. By pounds, sulfur accounted for 30 percent of all reported pesticide use. Sulfur is a natural fungicide favored by both conventional and organic farmers.  Petroleum oil use decreased by 1.5 million pounds (-8.7 percent), metam sodium use decreased by 132,000 pounds (-0.9 percent), mineral oil use increased by 2.8 million pounds (44 percent), and 1,3-D use increased by 1.9 million pounds (28 percent).

Major crops or sites that showed an overall increase in pesticide pounds applied from 2003 to 2004 included almonds (2.8 million pounds increase), oranges (2.4 million pounds), processing tomatoes (0.6 million pounds), fresh tomatoes (0.5 million pounds), and outdoor nurseries in containers (0.4 million pounds).  Major crops or sites with decreased pounds applied included carrots (0.5 million pounds decrease), walnuts (0.3 million pounds), public health (0.3 million pounds), lemons (0.3 million pounds), and pears (0.3 million pounds).

DPR data analyses have shown that pesticide use varies from year to year depending upon pest problems, weather, acreage and types of crops planted, economics, and other factors.  Spring of 2004 was warm and dry so diseases of many crops were low; therefore fungicide use was less in 2004 than in 2003.  Herbicide use increased partly because a wet winter promoted the growth of weeds.  The hot dry summer was conducive to mite buildups, so miticide use increased.   A dramatic increase occurred in the use of some newer, reduced-risk pesticides such as spinosad, acetamiprid, pyraclostrobin, methoxyfenozide, carfentrazone-ethyl, and boscalid.  Field prices improved in 2004 for most of the 12 crops discussed in Section V of this report, entitled "Trends in Pesticide Use in Certain Commodities".  This increase may have also been a contributor to use more pesticides to protect valuable crops.

Pesticide use is reported as the number of pounds of AI and the total number of acres treated. The data for pounds include both agricultural and nonagricultural applications; the data for acres treated are primarily agricultural applications. The number of acres treated means the cumulative number of acres treated; the acres treated in each application are summed even when the same field is sprayed more than once in a year. (For example, if one acre is treated three times in a season with an individual AI, it is counted as three acres treated in the tables and graphs in Sections IV and V of this report.)

In the past several years, the PUR Annual Reports have included tables of pesticide use in various pesticide categories, including reproductive toxins, carcinogens, organophosphates and carbamates, ground water contaminants, toxic air contaminants, oils, reduced-risk pesticides, and biopesticides.  Use in about half of these pesticide categories increased and about half decreased from 2003 to 2004.  However, most of the increase in pounds applied was due to increases in the fumigant 1,3-D and the herbicides diuron and simazine. Fumigants are applied at high rates, in part, because they treat a volume of space rather than a surface area such as the leaves and stems of plants. Thus, the pounds applied are large even though the number of applications or number of acres treated may be relatively small.  Herbicide use in general increased as mentioned above because of increased weed problems in 2004.  If these three AIs were not included, then use would have decreased in all of the categories, excluding the low risk oils and reduced-risk AIs.  Some of the major statistical changes from 2003 to 2004 include:

  • Chemicals classified as reproductive toxins decreased in pounds applied from 2003 to 2004 (down 600,000 pounds or 2.5 percent) and decreased in cumulative acres treated (down 180,000 acres or 7.7 percent).  The largest decrease in pounds was from the fumigant methyl bromide.
  • The pounds of chemicals classified as carcinogens increased (up 1.1 million pounds or 3.8 percent), but acres treated decreased (down 160,000 acres or 4.1 percent).  The increase in pounds was mainly due to increase in use of the fumigant 1,3-D, one of several alternatives to methyl bromide. However, diuron had the largest increase in acres treated.  Use of most other AIs classified as carcinogens decreased.
  • Use of insecticide organophosphate and carbamate chemicals, which includes compounds of high regulatory concern, continued to decline as they have for nearly every year since 1995.  Use decreased by 130,000 pounds (1.6 percent) and by 360,000 acres treated (5.7 percent).  Although most organophosphate and carbamate AIs decreased, pounds of phosmet and chlorpyrifos increased, and acres treated with phosmet increased.  Interestingly, acres treated with chlorpyrifos decreased more than nearly all other organophosphates and carbamates.  The reason for this difference with chlorpyrifos is that use increased dramatically on oranges, where chlorpyrifos rate of use was about 3 pounds/acre and decreased on alfalfa, where rate of use was about 0.5 pounds/acres
  • Use of chemicals categorized as ground water contaminants increased from 2003 to 2004. Use by pounds increased 81,000 pounds applied (3.6 percent), and cumulative acres treated increased by about 170,000 acres (11 percent).  Nearly all of the increase was due to diuron and simazine.
  • Chemicals categorized as toxic air contaminants, another regulatory concern, increased by 1.0 million pounds applied (2.7 percent) but decreased by 250,000 cumulative acres treated (7.1 percent).  Most of the increase in pounds was due to increases in 1,3-D.
  • Pounds of reduced-risk pesticides decreased by 32,000 pounds applied (2.9 percent) but increased by 130,000 acres treated (2.2 percent).  The biggest increases (with both pounds and acres treated) were in use of methoxyfenozide, pyraclostrobin, and boscalid.  The biggest decreases were in use of tebufenozide and indoxacarb.
  • Biopesticide use decreased, especially by pounds applied.  Use decreased by 340,000 pounds (33 percent) and by 150,000 acres treated (6.6 percent).  By far, most of the decrease in pounds was due to liquefied nitrogen used in structural applications and potassium bicarbonate; most of the decrease in acres treated was due to Bacillus thuringiensis.

Since 1992, the reported pounds of pesticides applied have fluctuated from year to year. An increase or decrease in use from one year to the next or in the span of a few years does not necessarily indicate a general trend in use; it simply may reflect normal variations. Short periods of time (three to five years) may suggest trends, such as the increased pesticide use from 2001 to 2004 or the decreased use from 1998 to 2001. However, statistical analyses from 1992 to 2004 do not indicate a significant trend of either increase or decrease in pesticide use.

To improve data quality when calculating the total pounds of pesticides, DPR excluded values that were so large they were probably in error. The procedure to exclude probable errors involved the development of complex error-checking algorithms, a data improvement process that is ongoing.

Over-reporting errors have a much greater impact on the numerical accuracy of the database than under-reporting errors. For example, if a field is treated with 100 pounds of a pesticide AI and the application is erroneously recorded as 100,000 pounds (a decimal point shift of three places to the right), an error of 99,900 pounds is introduced into the database. If the same degree of error is made in shifting the decimal point to the left, the application is recorded as 0.1 pound, and an error of 99.9 pounds is entered into the database

To provide an overview, pesticide use is summarized for eight different categories from 1994 to 2004 (Tables 3-10 and Figures 1-8). These categories classify pesticides according to certain characteristics such as reproductive toxins, carcinogens, or reduced-risk characteristics.

The statistical summaries detailed in these categories are not intended to serve as indicators of pesticide risks to the public or the environment. Rather, the data supports DPR regulatory functions to enhance public safety and environmental protection. (See "How Pesticide Data are Used" on page 2.) The different pesticide categories, described more fully, are:

  1. Pesticides listed on the State's Proposition 65 list of chemicals " known to cause reproductive toxicity".
  2. Pesticides listed by U.S. EPA as B2 carcinogens or on the State's Proposition 65 list of chemicals " known to cause cancer".
  3. Pesticides that are cholinesterase inhibitors, that is, organophosphate and carbamate chemicals.
  4. Pesticides on the "a" part of DPR's groundwater protection list (section 6800 (a) of the California Code of Regulations, Title 3, Division 6, Chapter 4, Subchapter 1, Article 1).
  5. Pesticides from DPR's toxic air contaminants list (California Code of Regulations, Title 3, Division 6, Chapter 4, Subchapter 1, Article 1, section 6860).
  6. Oil pesticides, which may include some chemicals on the State's Proposition 65 list of chemicals "known to cause cancer" but which also serve as alternatives to high-toxicity pesticides.
  7. AIs contained in pesticide products that have been given reduced-risk status by U.S. EPA.
  8. Biopesticides, which include microorganisms and naturally occurring compounds, or compounds essentially identical to naturally occurring compounds that are not toxic to the target pest (such as pheromones). 

USE TRENDS OF PESTICIDES ON THE STATE'S PROPOSITION 65 LIST OF CHEMICALS THAT ARE "KNOWN TO CAUSE REPRODUCTIVE TOXICITY"

Table 3A. The reported pounds of pesticides used which are on the State's Proposition 65 list of chemicals that are "known to cause reproductive toxicity." Use includes both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications.  Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Table 3B. The reported cumulative acres treated with pesticides that are on the State's Proposition 65 list of chemicals "known to cause reproductive toxicity." Use includes primarily agricultural applications. The grand total for acres treated may be less than the sum of acres treated for all active ingredients because some products contain more than one active ingredient. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Figure 1. Use trends of pesticides that are on the State's Proposition 65 list of chemicals that are "known to cause reproductive toxicity." Reported pounds of active ingredient (AI) applied include both agricultural and non-agricultural applications. The reported cumulative acres treated include primarily agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

USE TRENDS OF PESTICIDES LISTED BY U.S. EPA AS CARCINOGENS OR BY THE STATE AS "KNOWN TO CAUSE CANCER"

Table 4A. The reported pounds of pesticides used that are listed by U.S. EPA as B2 carcinogens or that are on the State's Proposition 65 list of chemicals "known to cause cancer." Use includes both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Table 4B. The reported cumulative acres treated with pesticides listed by U.S. EPA as B2 carcinogens or on the State's Proposition 65 list of chemicals "known to cause cancer." Use includes primarily agricultural applications. The grand total for acres treated is less than the sum of acres treated for all active ingredients because some products contain more than one active ingredient. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use.

Figure 2. Use trends of pesticides that are listed by U.S. EPA as B2 carcinogens or that are on the State's Proposition 65 list of chemicals "known to cause cancer." Reported pounds of active ingredient (AI) applied include both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications. The reported cumulative acres treated include primarily agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

USE TRENDS OF CHOLINESTERASE-INHIBITING PESTICIDES

Table 5A. The reported pounds of cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides used. These pesticides are the currently registered organophosphate and carbamate active ingredients. Use includes both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Table 5B. The reported cumulative acres treated with cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides. These pesticides are the currently registered organophosphate and carbamate active ingredients. Use includes primarily agricultural applications. The grand total for acres treated is less than the sum of acres treated for all active ingredients because some products contain more than one active ingredient.  Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Figure 3. Use trends of cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides, which includes pesticides with organophosphate and carbamate active ingredients. Reported pounds of active ingredient (AI) applied include both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications. The reported cumulative acres treated include primarily agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

USE TRENDS OF PESTICIDES ON DPR'S GROUND WATER PROTECTION LIST

Table 6A. The reported pounds of pesticides on the " a" part of DPR's groundwater protection list. These pesticides are the currently registered active ingredients listed in the California Code of Regulations, Title 3, Division 6, Chapter 4, Subchapter 1, Article 1, Section 6800(a). Use includes both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Table 6B. The reported cumulative acres treated with pesticides on the " a" part of DPR's groundwater protection list. These pesticides are the currently registered active ingredients listed in the California Code of Regulations, Title 3, Division 6, Chapter 4, Subchapter 1, Article 1, Section 6800(a). Use includes both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Figure 4. Use trends of pesticides on DPR's groundwater protection list. These pesticides are the currently registered active ingredients listed in the California Code of Regulations, Title 3, Division 6, Chapter 4, Subchapter 1, Article 1, Section 6800(a). Reported pounds of active ingredient (AI) applied include both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications. The reported cumulative acres treated include primarily agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

USE TRENDS OF PESTICIDES ON DPR'S TOXIC AIR CONTAMINATS LIST

Table 7A. The reported pounds of pesticides on DPR's toxic air contaminants list applied in California. These pesticides are the currently registered active ingredients listed in the California Code of Regulations, Title 3, Division 6, Chapter 4, Subchapter 1, Article 1, Section 6860. Use includes both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Table 7B. The reported cumulative acres treated in California with pesticides on DPR's toxic air contaminants list. These pesticides are the currently registered active ingredients listed in the California Code of Regulations, Title 3, Division 6, Chapter 4, Subchapter 1, Article 1, Section 6860. Use includes primarily agricultural applications. The grand total for acres treated is less than the sum of acres treated for all active ingredients because some products contain more than one active ingredient. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Figure 5. Use trends of pesticides on DPR's toxic air contaminants list. These pesticides are the currently registered active ingredients listed in the California Code of Regulations, Title 3, Division 6, Chapter 4, Subchapter 1, Article 1, Section 6860. Reported pounds of active ingredient (AI) applied include both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications. The reported cumulative acres treated include primarily agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

USE TRENDS OF OIL PESTICIDES 

Table 8A. The reported pounds of oil pesticides. As a broad group, oil pesticides and other petroleum distillates are on U.S. EPA's list of B2 carcinogens or the State's Proposition 65 list of chemicals "known to cause cancer."  However, these classifications do not distinguish among oil pesticides that may not qualify as carcinogenic due to their degree of refinement. Many such oil pesticides also serve as alternatives to high-toxicity chemicals. For this reason, oil pesticide data was classified separately in this report. Use includes both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Table 8B. The reported cumulative acres treated in California with oil pesticides. (See qualifying comments on U.S. EPA  B2 carcinogen and Proposition 65 listing with Table 8A.)  Uses include primarily agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Figure 6. Use trends of oil pesticides. As a broad group, oil pesticides and other petroleum distillates are on U.S. EPA's list of B2 carcinogens or the State's Proposition 65 list of chemicals "known to cause cancer."  However, these classifications do not distinguish among oil pesticides that may not qualify as carcinogenic due to their degree of refinement. Many such oil pesticides also serve as alternatives to high-toxicity chemicals. For this reason, oil pesticide data was classified separately in this report. Reported pounds of active ingredient (AI) applied include both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications. The reported cumulative acres treated include primarily agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

USE TRENDS OF REDUCED-RISK PESTICIDES

Table 9A. The reported pounds of reduced-risk pesticides applied in California. These active ingredients are contained in pesticide products that have been given reduced-risk status by U.S. EPA. Use includes both agricultural and non-agricultural applications. Zero values in early years likely indicate the pesticide was not yet registered for use. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Table 9B. The reported cumulative acres treated in California with each reduced-risk pesticide. These active ingredients are contained in pesticide products that have been given reduced-risk status by U.S. EPA. Use includes primarily agricultural applications. Zero values in early years likely indicate the pesticide was not yet registered for use. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Figure 7. Use trends of reduced-risk pesticides. These active ingredients are contained in pesticide products that have been given reduced-risk status by U.S. EPA. Reported pounds of active ingredient (AI) applied include both agricultural and reportable non-agricultural applications. The reported cumulative acres treated include primarily agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

USE TRENDS OF BIOPESTICIDES

Table 10A. The reported pounds of biopesticides applied in California. Biopesticides include microorganisms and naturally occurring compounds, or compounds essentially identical to naturally occurring compounds that are not toxic to the target pest (such as pheromones). Use includes both agricultural and non-agricultural applications. Zero values in early years likely indicate the pesticide was not yet registered for use. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Table 10B. The reported cumulative acres treated of biopesticides applied in California . Biopesticides include microorganisms and naturally occurring compounds, or compounds essentially identical to naturally occurring compounds that are not toxic to the target pest (such as pheromones). Use includes primarily agricultural applications. The grand total for acres treated is less than the sum of acres for all active ingredients because some products contain more than one active ingredient. Zero values in early years likely indicate the pesticide was not yet registered for use. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

Figure 8. Use trends of biopesticides. Biopesticides include microorganisms and naturally occurring compounds, or compounds essentially identical to naturally occurring compounds that are not toxic to the target pest (such as pheromones). Reported pounds of active ingredient (AI) applied includes both agricultural and reportable nonagricultural applications. The reported cumulative acres treated includes primarily agricultural applications. Data are from the Department of Pesticide Regulation's Pesticide Use Reports.

 V. TRENDS IN PESTICIDE USE IN CERTAIN COMMODITIES

This summary describes possible reasons for changes in pesticide use from 2003 to 2004 for the following commodities:  (1) cotton, (2) almonds, (3) wine grapes, (4)  table and raisin grapes,  (5) alfalfa, (6) rice, (7) processing tomatoes, (8) oranges, (9) head lettuce, (10) peaches and nectarines, (11) strawberries, and (12) carrots.  These 12 commodities were chosen because they were treated with more than 5 million pounds of active ingredients (AI) or cumulatively treated on more than 2 million acres, which represents about 70 percent of all reported pesticide use in 2004.  

Information used to develop this section was drawn from several publications and phone interviews with pest control advisors, growers, University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisors and specialists, researchers, and commodity association representatives.  The information collected was analyzed by DPR staff, using their extensive knowledge of pesticides, California agriculture, and pest management practices to draw conclusions about possible reasons for changes in pesticide use.  Thus these explanations are based on anecdotal information, not rigorous statistical analyses. 

Reported pesticide use in California in 2004 totaled 180 million pounds, an increase of 5.1 million pounds from 2003 (3 percent increase).  The AIs with the largest uses by pounds were sulfur, petroleum oils, metam-sodium, mineral oil, and 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D).  Sulfur use increased by 783,000 pounds (1.5 percent) and was the most highly used non-adjuvant pesticide in 2004, both in pounds applied and acres treated. By pounds, sulfur accounted for 30 percent of all reported pesticide use. Sulfur is a natural fungicide favored by both conventional and organic farmers.  Petroleum oil use decreased by 1.5 million pounds (-8.7 percent), metam sodium use decreased by 132,000 pounds (-0.9 percent), mineral oil use increased by 2.8 million pounds (44 percent), and 1,3-D use increased by 1.9 million pounds (28 percent).

DPR data analyses have shown that pesticide use varies from year to year depending upon pest problems, weather, acreage and types of crops planted, economics, and other factors.  In general, weather in 2004 was good for crop production.  In particular spring was warm and dry so diseases of many crops were low and therefore fungicide use was less in 2004 than in 2003.  Pounds applied and acres treated of most of the other major pesticide types increased, except for a decrease in acres treated with insecticides.  Herbicide use increased partly because a wet winter promoted the growth of weeds.  The hot dry summer was conducive to mite buildups, so miticide use increased.

A dramatic increase occurred in the use of some newer, reduced-risk pesticides such as spinosad, acetamiprid, pyraclostrobin, methoxyfenozide, carfentrazone-ethyl, and boscalid.  Prices for most of the 12 crops improved in 2004, which may have also been an incentive to use more pesticides to protect valuable crops.

Sulfur was used mostly to control powdery mildew on grapes; use increased just slightly from 2003 to 2004.  Oils and the fumigant 1,3-D had the largest increase in pounds; both increased by 1.9 million pounds. Oils were used mostly on almonds and oranges and use of oils increased over 20 percent in both crops.  Oils are low risk pesticides used mostly to control insects and mites.  1,3-D was used mostly on strawberries, carrots, and almonds.

Different pesticides are used at different rates.  In California, most pesticides are applied at rates of around 1 to 2 pounds per acre. However, fumigants are usually applied at rates of hundreds of pounds per acre.  Thus, comparing use by pounds will emphasize fumigants.  Comparing use among different pesticides using acres treated gives a different picture.

By acres treated, the non-adjuvant pesticides with the greatest use in 2004 were sulfur, glyphosate, oxyfluorfen, paraquat dichloride, chlorpyrifos, and abamectin.  Use of all of these pesticides, except for chlorpyrifos, increased.  Most of the increase in total acres treated was from increased use of glyphosate, oxyfluorfen, and abamectin.  Glyphosate was used mostly on rights of way, almond, cotton, landscape maintenance, and wine grapes.  Glyphosate use on cotton and almonds increased from 2003 to 2004, because of a trend toward more use of postemergence herbicides and because it is less costly than other herbicides.  On cotton, glyphosate use also increased because of increased acreage of varieties genetically engineered to be tolerant to glyphosate.  Oxyfluorfen is often applied with glyphosate.  Use of abamectin, a miticide, increased because of greater problems with mites in 2004.

Use is given by pounds of AI applied and by acres treated. Acres treated means the cumulative number of acres treated; the acres treated in each application are summed even when the same field is sprayed more than once in a year. (For example, if one acre is treated three times in a season with an individual AI, it is counted as three acres treated).

Cotton

Cotton is grown for fiber, oil, and animal feed and is one of the most widely grown crops in California. Cotton acres planted increased by 11 percent from 2003 to 2004. Two main kinds of cotton are grown: upland and Pima. Most cotton acreage is in upland cotton, but a greater percentage of Pima cotton was planted in 2004 than in 2003. Most cotton is grown in the southern San Joaquin Valley, but a small percentage is grown in Imperial and Riverside counties and several counties in the Sacramento Valley.

Table 11A. Total reported pounds of all active ingredients (AIs), acres treated, acres planted, and prices for cotton each year from 2000 to 2004. Planted acres from 2000 to 2003 are from CASS, October 2004; planted acres in 2004 are from CASS, January 2005; marketing year average prices from 2000 to 2004 are from NASS, July 2001, July 2002, July 2003, July 2004, and July 2005.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 9,359,879 8,127,020 7,157,764 7,141,281 7,150,897
Acres Treated 11,685,798 9,632,312 8,298,784 10,467,430 10,422,661
Acres Planted Upland Cotton 775,000 630,000 480,000 550,000 560,000
Acres Planted Pima Cotton 145,000 240,000 210,000 150,000 215,000
Acres Planted Total 920,000 870,000 690,000 700,000 775,000
Price Upland $/lbs $0.520 $0.416 $0.573 $0.745 $0.555
Price Pima $/lbs $1.010 $0.856 $0.860 $1.230 $1.010
Acres Roundup-Ready 175,000 220,000 330,400    
% Roundup-Ready 25 31 43    

Table 11B. Percent difference from previous year for reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres planted, and prices for cotton from 2000 to 2004.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 10 -13 -12 0 0
Acres Treated 15 -18 -14 26 0
Acres Planted Upland Cotton 27 -19 -24 15 2
Acres Planted Pima Cotton -40 66 -13 -29 43
Acres Planted Total 8 -5 -21 1 11
Price Upland $/lbs -7 -20 38 30 -26
Price Pima $/lbs 19 -15 0 43 -18
Acres Roundup-Ready 26 50

Figure 9. Acres of cotton treated by all AIs in the major types of pesticides from 1993 to 2004.

Figure 9

Although cotton acreage increased by 11 percent from 2003 to 2004, total pesticide use in pounds of AI and acres treated remained nearly the same; thus pesticide use per acre planted decreased. The decrease in pesticide use was mostly from insecticides, which decreased by 16 percent in acres treated; use of both harvest aids and herbicides increased by 6 percent and 21 percent respectively.  The decrease in insecticides was due mostly to decreases in indoxacarb, tebufenozide, and chlorpyrifos.  This decrease occurred in Fresno and Merced counties; in all other counties use increased.

The decrease in pounds in pesticide use statewide in cotton was mostly from decreases in sodium chlorate, which is a harvest aid used at a high rate. Other pesticides with large decreases in pounds were chlorpyrifos, sulfur, S,S,S-tributyl phosphorotrithioate, and naled.

In 2004, weather conditions for cotton production were generally good to excellent. Cotton harvest started earlier than normal and yields in most areas were good, but October rain caused some reduction in yields and cotton lint quality in fields not yet harvested.  Arthropod pressure was generally low in most areas in 2004. However, spider mites caused some damage mid and late season in some areas.  Lygus populations were low compared to most years; however, some problems occurred in a few areas in July and August. Although aphid populations were widespread, populations were not large enough to cause problems except in a few areas.  After some early damage from beet armyworms and other lepidopteran pests, very little additional damage occurred.  The primary pest problems from July to September were silverleaf whiteflies, which have continued to expand their distribution from previous years.  According to the Beltwide Cotton Crop Loss Data, the main arthropod pest treated was mites, followed by silverleaf whitefly, aphids, lygus, and beet armyworm.  Growers treated more for mites in 2004 than 2003 and slightly more for whiteflies in 2004, but they treated less for the other pests.

Total insecticide use by acres treated has been decreasing in 1990s: from 2003 to 2004 acres treated with insecticides decreased by 16 percent and pounds insecticide decreased by 7 percent.  By acres treated, the major insecticides in cotton in 2004 were acetamiprid, abamectin, chlorpyrifos, aldicarb, and thiamethoxam.  A little over one half of the major insecticides decreased in use from 2003 to 2004.  By pounds the insecticide with the largest decrease was chlorpyrifos, used mostly for aphids and whiteflies.  By acres treated, most of the decreases in insecticides were from indoxacarb and tebufenozide, used mostly for beet armyworm and other lepidopteran pests.  Other insecticides with large decreases in pounds or acres treated were thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, naled, and aldicarb.  The insecticides with the largest increases in use by pounds were dicofol and propargite, used for mites; by acres treated the largest increase was acetamiprid, used mostly for aphids and whiteflies.  Other major insecticides that increased in pounds or acres treated were buprofezin, pyriproxyfen, oxamyl, endosulfan, methoxyfenozide, and abamectin.

The increased pressure from spider mites would explain the increase in use of miticides such as dicofol, propargite, and abamectin. The increased whitefly numbers could partly explain increased use of acetamiprid, buprofezin, and pyriproxyfen. Also, all three of these AIs are fairly new, low risk AIs and are probably replacing use of chlorpyrifos.  Use of the low risk pesticides indoxacarb and tebufenozide declined probably because of fewer problems with beet armyworms and lygus.

Throughout the 1990s, herbicide use by acres treated fluctuated from year to year between -22 percent to +30 percent; it increased by 22 percent from 2003 to 2004. By acres treated the major herbicides were glyphosate, trifluralin, oxyfluorfen, pendimethalin, and pyrithiobac-sodium.  Use of all of these herbicides increased from 2003 to 2004; only a few other herbicides had decreased use and then only by small amounts.  Another herbicide, carfentrazone-ethyl, had twice the use in 2004 as 2003, when it was first used.  Glyphosate had the largest increase in use, increasing by 22 percent from 2003 to 2004. It has become the most widely used herbicide in cotton production in recent years, used on more than twice as many acres from 2001 to 2004 as trifluralin, the next most widely-used herbicide.

Glyphosate is effective against many annual and perennial weeds that occur in California cotton fields. It can be used as an early over-the-top herbicide with Roundup-Ready cotton varieties (which are genetically engineered to be resistant to the herbicide glyphosate), or with hooded sprayers for a longer application window. Although it does not offer complete control, it can be an effective material for use in managing annual morningglory, nutsedge, and field bindweed, which continue to be problem weeds affecting an expanding acreage. It can be used as a harvest aid, particularly when late season weeds are also a problem; however, this use has been quite limited to date. It has replaced some other herbicides because of increased acreage of Roundup-Ready cotton.

The increased use of herbicides from 2003 to 2004 may have been due to the increased weed pressure, the result of a wetter than normal winter. Glyphosate use has increased because 59 percent of our Upland cotton is Roundup-Ready. The increased use of carfentrazone-ethyl is most likely because it was first registered late in 2003-growers had little chance to use it then-and they did not know much about the product. In 2004 they became aware of its use as a post directed herbicide, as well as a defoliant, so use increased.

Use of defoliants as harvest aids decreased nearly every year from 1995 to 2002. Although use by pounds also decreased from 2002 to 2004, use by acres treated increased from 2002 to 2004. Use by pounds decreased primarily from decreased use of sodium chlorate, which is used at a high rate.  However, the increase in acres treated by harvest aids was slightly less than the increase in cotton acres planted. By acres treated, the major plant growth regulator was mepiquat dichloride; and the major harvest aids used were ethephon, thidiazuron, diuron (diuron and thidiazuron are mostly applied together), paraquat dichloride, and sodium chlorate.

Of the top 10 harvest aids and plant growth regulators, five increased and five decreased in use.  Most of the decrease in pounds was due to decrease of sodium chlorate.  The largest increase in acres treated was pyraflufen-ethyl, which was first used in 2004.  Use of the plant growth regulator (also a harvest aid) mepiquat chloride, which is used mid-season for vegetative growth management, had a large decrease from 2003 to 2004. The use of and perceived need for plant growth regulators such as mepiquat chloride is strongly influenced by both weather conditions and early insect problems that cause fruit loss, both of which can affect relative levels of vegetative growth versus fruit retention and growth. Environmental and plant conditions in 2004 were generally good especially compared to last year when conditions favored late vegetative growth which required more use of mepiquat chloride.

Almonds

Almonds are California's largest tree nut crop in total dollar value and acreage. They are the largest horticultural export from the United States. Approximately 6,000 almond growers produce nearly 100 percent of the commercial domestic supply and more than 75 percent of worldwide production. Nearly 80 countries import California almonds. The United States is by far the largest market for almonds; overseas, Germany is the largest market for almonds, consuming about 16 percent of the export crop, followed by Spain at about 15 percent. Other major importers include the Netherlands, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, and China. The Pacific Rim nations are a rapidly growing market for California almonds.

Table 12A. Total reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, bearing acres, and prices for almonds each year from 2000 to 2004. Bearing acres from 2000 to 2003 are from CASS, October 2004; bearing acres in 2004 are from NASS, July 2005; all marketing year average prices are from NASS, July 2005.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 11,637,568 10,161,186 11,935,261 13,374,188 16,197,969
Acres Treated 7,213,842 5,049,101 5,441,005 6,367,669 7,363,704
Acres Bearing 510,000 530,000 545,000 550,000 550,000
Price $/lb $0.97 $0.91 $1.11 $1.57 $2.21

Table 12B. Percent difference from previous year for reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, bearing acres, and prices for almonds from 2000 to 2004.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI -22 -13 17 12 21
Acres Treated -3 -30 8 17 16
Acres Bearing 5 4 3 1 0
Price $/lb 13 -6 22 41 41

Figure 10. Acres of almonds treated by all AIs in the major types of pesticides from 1993 to 2004.

Figure 10

After a decline in almond pesticide use (pounds AI and acres treated) from 1998 to 2001, use increased from 2001 to 2004. From 2003 to 2004 use increased-by 21 percent as pounds AI and by 16 percent as acres treated. The rate of insecticide use (i.e., pounds AI per acre) increased by 27 percent, of herbicide use by 22 percent, and of fumigant use by 13 percent. Use in pounds of fungicides showed a slight decrease of 7 percent. Lambda-cyhalothrin, fosetyl-aluminum, bifenazate, carbaryl and hexythiazox showed the largest percent increases in acres treated between 2003 and 2004. The largest percent decreases in use in poundswere for azinphos-methyl, copper ammonium complex, tebufenozide, thiophanate, and chlorophacinone.

In 2004, the major insecticides used (by acres treated)  were abamectin, petroleum oil (unclassified), mineral oil, chlorpyrifos and esfenvalerate; the major fungicides were cyprodinil, iprodione, copper hydroxide, and azoxystrobin; the major herbicides used were glyphosate, oxyfluorfen, paraquat dichloride, simazine, and 2,4-D, and the major fumigants used were aluminum phosphide, methyl bromide, and 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D).

Different factors play a role in understanding pesticide use trends. The most significant current almond industry trend is the increase in planted acreage.  Almond growers report thousands of new acres being planted.  Yet, until more technologically sophisticated methods of surveying acreage are employed, available objective data may lag behind actual new acreage. New acreage makes increased treated acresmore likely, particularly in the case of a one-time application of a preplant fumigant. Another significant change within the almond industry is a shift from older, more broad spectrum pesticides to newer, reduced-risk compounds. 

The 2004 crop was a little larger than 2003 and the price for almonds remains good. The fact that many growers had reduced pesticide applications for several years and were anticipating a more valuable crop may explain, in part, why some growers chose to put on applications to be sure to protect the more valuable 2004 crop. Generally, in a good year growers are more inclined to treat with pesticides to protect the crop, thereby increasing the number of applications.

Growers in the northern growing region used winter sanitation to reduce over-wintering populations of navel orangeworm. Generally, growers in the central and southern region checked for mummies and, if numbers were high, they used a winter sanitation program to help reduce the over-wintering population. In some regions, the combination of just enough mummy nuts missed and the mild winter significantly increased the reject potential. Wet weather was not particularly a problem affecting production. Bloom was a little late, which could explain the increased use of chlorothalonil to control anthracnose. A record-breaking heat wave in the spring set up optimum conditions for mite problems later in the season.

A hot, dry summer resulted in increased pressure from key insect pests. Mites continued to be a problem as evidenced by the increased use of materials such as abamectin, bifenazate and hexythiazox. Growers, particularly in the south tended to shift away from propargite to newer materials that are more effective. Peach twig borer was a concern resulting in an increase in applications. Use of phosmet increased significantly over azinphos- methyl. Use of the reduced-risk material spinosad to control peach twig borer increased in 2004, while use of tebufenozid decreased. Timing of sprays is critical for mid-season navel orange worm control. Use at hull-split could explain the increased use of chlorpyifos and esfenvalerate for both peach twig borer and navel orange worm. Early harvest was practiced, particularly in the south to help prevent late season problems with navel orange worm. Oriental fruit moth was not particularly a problem in 2004. Ant damage was not as much of a problem in 2004 as it was in 2002 and 2003. Use of both pyriproxyfen and chlorpyrifos increased which could be due, in part, to their use to manage ants.

The use of glyphosate and paraquat dichloride was up in 2004. Many growers prefer to use contact herbicides as strip sprays, resulting in increased use. The use of oxyfluorfen also increased. Growers used the material at a low rate to take advantage of its contact action as a boost for glyphosate. The increased use of oryzalin was more than likely due to the fact that the material was available again after being in short supply. 

The use of the fumigants methyl bromide and 1,3-D were slightly higher in 2004 compared to 2003. This increase could be attributed to a one-time treatment on newly planted and replanted almond acres. The increase in use of aluminum phosphide would be partly due to increased production.

Wine grapes

California has four major wine grape production regions: 1) North Coast (Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma counties); 2) Central Coast (Alameda, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Benito, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara counties); 3) Northern San Joaquin Valley (San Joaquin, Calaveras, Amador, Sacramento, Merced, Stanislaus, and Yolo counties); and 4) Southern San Joaquin Valley (Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Kern, and Madera counties). Each region has distinct climatic and topographic characteristics that lead to different pest types, pest pressures, and cultural and pest management practices. From 2003 to 2004, wine grape acreage decreased 3 percent and prices increased 8 percent.

Table 13A. Total reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres planted, and prices for wine grapes each year from 2000 to 2004. Planted acres from 2000 to 2003 are from CASS, October 2004; planted acres in 2004 are from CASS, March 2005; all marketing year average prices are from NASS, July 2005.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 27,615,039 22,780,016 24,110,830 23,464,001 23,800,655
Acres Treated 6,995,285 6,450,654 6,661,166 6,634,578 6,569,139
Acres Planted 568,000 570,000 556,000 529,000 513,000
Price $/ton $567.00 $597.00 $535.00 $530.00 $570.00

Table 13B. Percent difference from previous year for reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres planted, and prices for wine grapes from 2000 to 2004.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI -10 -18 6 -3 1
Acres Treated -3 -8 3 0 -1
Acres Planted 3 0 -2 -5 -3
Price $/ton -3 5 -10 -1 8


Figure 11. Acres of wine grapes treated by all AIs in the major types of pesticides from 1993 to 2004.

Figure 11

The major fungicides by wine grape acres treated in 2004 were sulfur, myclobutanil, copper hydroxide, trifloxystrobin, and tebuconazole. The major insecticides and miticides were imidacloprid, petroleum distillates, methoxyfenozide, fenpropathrin, and bifenazate. The major herbicides were glyphosate, oxyfluorfen, paraquat, simazine, and oryzalin. Pesticides with large percentage increases in use by weight of AI. in 2004 include petroleum distillates together with other insecticidal and miticidal oils, chlorpyrifos, fenpropathrin, and bifenazate; the herbicides oxyfluorfen, trifluralin, and 2,4-D; and the fumigant 1,3-D. Pesticides with a large decrease in use by weight include the fungicides potassium bicarbonate, mancozeb, cyprodinil, and triflumizole; and the fumigants methyl bromide and metam-sodium. 

In 2004, the major factors influencing changes in pesticide use included weather and pest pressures (which varied by region), competition from newer products, application restrictions, efforts by growers to reduce costs, and increasing emphasis on sustainable farming.

Most fungicide applications were for control of powdery mildew. Sulfur use was nearly stable. Total use of other fungicides decreased by weight of AI, however, by about 29 percent from 2003 to 2004. The year 2003 was wet, and fungus infections were severe. In contrast, spring 2004 was exceptionally warm and dry, followed by warm summer temperatures. Disease pressure was low except on the Central Coast, where heavy winter rainfall caused severe fungus problems. Grape maturity and harvest came early. Certain fungicides in specific regions bucked the overall reduced-use trend. Application of lime-sulfur, which is applied to suppress overwintering inoculum of several fungal diseases including powdery mildew, Phomopsis, and canker diseases, increased in the North and Central Coast regions. This might have been an attempt to reduce problems associated with the year before. In addition, the early harvest may have led to lime-sulfur application in November/December, rather than in January/February of 2005. Triflumizole use, though not extensive, increased in the northern San Joaquin Valley. This may have been due in part to an increased preference for liquid fungicides because of a lengthened preharvest interval for sulfur.

Insecticide and miticide use increased substantially by weight of AI from 2003 to 2004, perhaps partly because oils have many attractive, broad-spectrum properties and are low-risk. They can replace a surfactant and eradicate mildew growth, as well as suppressing mites and insects such as grape leafhoppers. Oils are increasingly mixed with fungicides. Infestations of the vine mealybug, a relatively new and extremely serious pest that is tended by ants, were detected in all the major wine grape regions in late 2003 and 2004. Programs for vine mealybug eradication in regions with low populations account for the increased use of chlorpyrifos, which is one of very few control options. Use of the insecticide fenpropathrin decreased by almost half in the North Coast region but increased overall, perhaps due to omnivorous leafroller infestations in the Central Valley. The San Joaquin Valley had a bad mite year in 2004 because of the warm, dry spring. Use of the selective miticide bifenazate increased except on the coast, where conditions were favorable for natural predators and mite pressure was low compared to 2003. Bifenazate is an alternative to older, higher-risk products with longer worker re-entry periods.

Herbicide use increased roughly 8 percent by weight of AI from 2003 to 2004. Higher wine grape prices relaxed cost-cutting pressures somewhat. Postemergent applications of oxyfluorfen and 2,4-D may have increased partly for that reason. Pre-emergence herbicides such as trifluralin, used in strips under the vine row, can be economical and useful for residual control and control of weeds tolerant to glyphosate. Trifluralin, available in inexpensive generic products, is generally not used on the North Coast because heavy soils there do not allow herbicide incorporation; nor was it much used on the Central Coast. Applications jumped in the San Joaquin Valley, however.

Fumigants are usually applied to soil before vineyards are replanted, so trends in overall preharvest fumigant use reflect planting trends. In 2004, increased application of 1,3 D in the Central Coast and Northern San Joaquin Valley regions raised total fumigant use in wine grapes over 25 percent by weight of AI. That fumigant is used to reduce nematode populations and is well suited to nematode control in sandier soils and dry conditions. Except for increased application in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, use of the general purpose fumigant methyl bromide declined in line with regulatory moves to phase it out. Therefore fumigant use patterns also reflect growers' choice of methyl bromide alternatives. A substantial decline in metam-sodium application in the Northern San Joaquin Valley accounts for the large decrease in its overall use. No metam-sodium applications were reported from the Central Coast or southern San Joaquin Valley regions, and its use on the North Coast was insignificant. Use of sodium tetrathiocarbonate, which kills nematodes, phylloxera, and root rots, was greater on the North Coast and in the Southern San Joaquin Valley in 2004, but decreased on the Central Coast. It was not used at all in the northern San Joaquin Valley in 2004.

Table grapes and raisins

Commercial production of table grapes is centered in the southern San Joaquin Valley. The Coachella Valley is California's other significant table grape production area. In an average year, the state produces 90-94 million 19-lb boxes of table grapes, including about 7 million (8 percent) from the Coachella Valley. The southern San Joaquin Valley region includes Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Kern, and Kings counties; the Coachella Valley region includes Riverside, Imperial, and San Bernardino counties. California produced about 300 thousand tons of raisins in 2004. Almost all were from the southern San Joaquin Valley, although a few raisins are produced in the northern San Joaquin Valley region (San Joaquin, Calaveras, Amador, Sacramento, Merced, and Stanislaus counties).

Table 14A. Total reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres planted, and prices for raisin and table grapes each year from 2000 to 2004. Planted acres in 2000 to 2003 are from CASS October 2004; planted acres in 2004 are from CASS, March 2005; all marketing year average prices are from NASS, July 2005

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 26,769,275 19,638,930 22,161,940 21,525,587 21,399,811
Acres Treated 8,145,603 5,671,081 5,901,515 5,937,960 5,684,959
Acres Planted Raisin 287,000 283,000 279,000 260,000 248,000
Acres Planted Table 100,000 98,000 97,000 93,000 92,000
Price Raisin $/ton $166.00 $186.00 $152.00 $170.00 $304.00
Price Table $/ton $565.00 $610.00 $616.00 $601.00 $695.00

Table 14B. Percent difference from previous year for reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres planted, and prices for raisin and table grapes from 2000 to 2004.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI -9 -27 13 -3 -1
Acres Treated -14 -30 4 1 -4
Acres Planted Raisin 0 -1 -1 -7 -5
Acres Planted Table 0 -2 -1 -4 -1
Price Raisin $/ton -48 12 -18 12 79
Price Table $/ton 2 8 1 -2 16

Figure 12. Acres of raisin and table grapes treated by all AIs in the major types of pesticides from 1993 to 2004.

Figure 12

The major fungicides by acres treated in table and raisin grapes in 2004 were sulfur, myclobutanil, copper hydroxide, tebuconazole, and trifloxystrobin; the major insecticides and miticides were imidacloprid, cryolite, methoxyfenozide, bifenazate, and propargite; and the major herbicides were glyphosate, paraquat, simazine, oxyfluorfen, and diuron. Pesticides with large increases in use by weight in 2004 include the insecticides bifenazate and oils; the herbicides glufosinate-ammonium, oryzalin, and diuron; and the fumigants metam-sodium, 1,3 D, sodium tetrathiocarbonate, and sulfur dioxide. Those with large decreases in use include the fungicides triflumizole, cyprodinil, lime-sulfur, and copper-based products; the insecticides tebufenozide, dimethoate, Bacillus thuringiensis and kaolin; the biological nematicide Myrothecium verrucaria; and the fumigants methyl bromide, chloropicrin, and aluminum phosphide.  Three new pesticides, the insecticide methoxyfenozide and the fungicides pyraclostrobin and boscalid, saw significant use.

Powdery mildew is the reason for most of the fungicide use in San Joaquin Valley and Coachella Valley vineyards. Other diseases that growers manage using fungicides are Botrytis bunch rot and Phomopsis cane and leaf spot. In 2004 the total field use of fungicides (as pounds AI) was about 26 percent less than in 2003. Weather was a major factor: whereas early 2003 was wet and cool, causing major fungus problems, spring 2004 was dry and exceptionally warm. The season started with a March heat wave, continued with low pest pressure, and ended with one of the earliest grape harvests on record. Efforts by growers to reduce costs, pressure from wineries and packers to eliminate use of some products, and competition between products further explain year-to-year fluctuations in fungicide use. Application of some fungicides to manage powdery mildew decreased because of a better understanding of efficacy, resistance management, and powdery mildew phenology models that optimize application timing and use. Those models and the availability of cheaper alternatives may account for some of the reduction in triflumizole use. Newer alternatives including pyraclostrobin and boscalid are being substituted for cyprodinil, copper-based fungicides, and lime-sulfur.

The reported use of insecticides and miticides increased slightly by weight in 2004. Changes in use are caused by annual fluctuations in weather conditions and pest pressures, and competition between products with regard to efficacy, cost, and/or risk. Oils are low-risk products for controlling some key insect and mite pests. Although 2004 was not a heavy mite year, local infestations of Willamette mite required late season treatment. Bifenazate, a relatively new selective miticide, is gaining market share because of long worker re-entry periods for alternative products. Dimethoate is used to control leafhoppers, spider mites, and mealybugs, including postharvest treatment of grape and vine mealybugs; some growers are moving to more selective alternative products with fewer restrictions. Low leafhopper pressure, including more effective control of glassy-winged sharpshooter in pest management districts, could have contributed to reduced use of both dimethoate and kaolin. Increased availability of alternatives may have reduced Bt application. The Section 18 emergency registration exemption of tebufenozide for moth control expired in 2003; it was replaced in 2004 by the new insecticide methoxyfenozide.

Total herbicide use (as pounds AI) increased by about 6 percent in 2004, perhaps influenced by increased commodity prices. In 2002-03, weedy vineyards were common because growers were cutting costs. Oryzalin, like diuron, is a preemergence herbicide applied during the dormant period of the crop. It was not available for sale in 2003, but returned to the market in 2004. Use of oryzalin may also have increased because alternative products have resistance problems, are more phytotoxic, and/or pose a greater risk to ground and surface water, with attendant regulatory restrictions. Glufosinate-ammonium is a relatively new post-emergence contact material for grasses and broadleaf weeds. It is expensive, but provides excellent control of hairy fleabane and marestail, which are a significant problem in vineyards in the San Joaquin Valley and have become resistant to some other products.

In 2004, fewer pounds of the biological nematicide Myrothecium verrucaria were applied to more acres. Overall use varies because this product is best applied as part of an integrated program, with treatments not repeated year after year.  

Use (as pounds AI) of the fumigant methyl bromide diminished in 2004, in line with regulatory moves to phase it out. Chloropicrin, in addition to its fungicidal properties is often formulated as a warning agent in combination with methyl bromide, was correspondingly less used. Metam-sodium and 1,3-D, which are preplant treatments for new vineyards, and sodium tetrathiocarbonate, applied both preplant and postplant against nematodes and phylloxera, can substitute for methyl bromide, at least in part. That may help account for a sizeable increase in the use of those fumigants. Fewer postplant alternatives may be another reason for growers' increased use of sodium tetrathiocarbonate.

Excellent grape quality and the early harvest led to more fruit being used for table grapes and stored for a long period. This increased the amount of sulfur dioxide applied, since table grapes are treated with SO2 gas on a 7-10 day cycle in order to prevent Botrytis rot during storage. Fewer raisins were produced in 2004 because Thompson Seedless, the main raisin grape variety, commanded high prices not only as table grapes, but also for wine. Therefore, less aluminum phosphide was required to control pests such as raisin moths and Indian meal moths in postharvest storage facilities.

Alfalfa

Alfalfa hay is produced for animal feed. The dairy industry is the biggest market for alfalfa hay production. California's alfalfa value was around $1 billion in 2004, making it the highest value field crop in the state. Most counties in the state produce some alfalfa hay, but half of the state's production comes from Kern, Imperial, Tulare, Merced, and Fresno counties. Harvested alfalfa acres decreased in 2004 by 4 percent compared to 2003 while the price per ton of alfalfa hay increased by 25 percent.

Table 15A. Total reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres harvested, and prices for alfalfa each year from 2000 to 2004. Harvested acres from 2000 to 2003 are from CASS, October 2004; harvested acres in 2004 are from CASS, January 2005; marketing year average prices from 2000 to 2004 are from NASS, July 2001, July 2002, July 2003, July 2004, and July 2005.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 3,315,152 2,919,521 3,008,510 2,921,442 2,662,360
Acres Treated 5,182,465 4,443,511 4,467,000 4,857,298 4,167,860
Acres Harvested 1,020,000 1,010,000 1,160,000 1,090,000 1,050,000
Price $/ton $92.00 $119.00 $98.00 $93.00 $116.00

Table 15B. Percent difference from previous year for reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres harvested, and prices for alfalfa from 2000 to 2004.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI -12 -12 3 -3 -9
Acres Treated -3 -14 0 9 -14
Acres Harvested -3 -1 15 -6 -4
Price $/ton  2 29 -18 -5 25

Figure 13. Acres of alfalfa treated by all AIs in the major types of pesticides from 1993 to 2004.

Figure 13

The total pounds of pesticide AIs applied to alfalfa decreased in the last six years. The total pounds of pesticide AIs used in 2004 declined by 9 percent compared to 2003 to the lowest level in six years. The acres treated with pesticides declined by 14 percent compared to 2003, also falling to the lowest level in six years. 

Herbicide use statewide (as pounds AI) remained about the same from 2003 to 2004, decreasing by less than 1 percent. Acres harvested decreased in 2004, which may explain the decreased pounds of herbicide AI used. However, the herbicide use (as acres treated) increased 7 percent in 2004. The increase in acres treated and the decrease in pounds AI in 2004 compared to 2003 would indicate that the amount of herbicide used per acre was less in 2004. The use of several postemergence herbicides increased in 2004 compared to 2003 as follows:

  • Paraquat dichloride by 17 percent;
  • Imazethapyr by 24 percent;
  • 4 (2,4-DB) dimethylamine salt by 63 percent; and
  • Sethoxydim and clethodim (used to control grasses postemergence) by 4 and 8 percent, respectively.

Two preemergence herbicides, trifluralin and diuron, accounted for nearly 65 percent of herbicide use in alfalfa (pounds AI) in 2004. Trifluralin use decreased 9 percent in 2004, to the lowest level since 2001. Generally, weather conditions in 2004 resulted in less preemeergence herbicide use, more emerged weeds, and higher amounts of postemergence herbicides to control winter annual weeds.

Most alfalfa acreage is found in four regions of the state: the Intermountain Region, Sacramento Valley, San Joaquin Valley, and Low Desert Region. Regional variations occur when selecting and using individual herbicides. Compared to the acres treated in 2003, acres treated in 2004 with trifluralin increased 480 percent in the Intermountain Region and 72 percent in Sacramento Valley, but decreased 7 percent in the San Joaquin Valley and 18 percent in the Low Desert Region. For paraquat dichloride, acres treated in 2004 compared to 2003 decreased by 40 percent in the Low Desert Region, but increased by 5 percent, 14 percent, and 19 percent, respectively, in the Intermountain Region, Sacramento Valley and San Joaquin Valley. Compared to 2003, imazethapyr use, as acres treated, in 2004 decreased 15 percent in the Sacramento Valley, and increased 59 percent, 33 percent, and 70 percent, respectively, in the Sacramento Valley, San Joaquin Valley and Low Desert Region. The main reason for choosing certain herbicides was the combination of herbicide price and the weather. Some herbicides work better under certain conditions.

Insecticide use (as pounds AI) declined by 23 percent from 592,408pounds AI (1,837,126 acres treated) in 2003 to 456,158 pounds AI (1,370,521 acres treated) in 2004, though the use of dimethoate and methamidophos increased by 16 percent and 71 percent, respectively. Statewide, insect pressure due to Egyptian alfalfa weevil and beet army worm was less in 2004 than in 2003; this decrease in pest pressure may explain the decrease in both pounds AI and acres treated with insecticides.

Statewide, the acres treated with insecticides declined by 29 percent. For specific insecticides, acres treated declined in 2004 compared as follows:

  • chlorpyrifos by 30 percent;
  • lambda-cyhalothrin by 16 percent;
  • indoxacarb by 52 percent;
  • methomyl by 65 percent;
  • carbofuran by 41 percent;
  • permethrin by 48 percent; and
  • phosmet by 52 percent.

On a regional basis, differences in acres treated occurred. Acres treated with chlorpyrifos declined by 31 percent in the Sacramento Valley and 44 percent in the San Joaquin Valley, while acres treated with chlorpyrifos increased by 241 percent in the Intermountain Region and 38 percent in the Low Desert Region of the state. Acres treated with lambda-cyhalothrin declined by 59 percent in the Intermountain Region, 21 percent in the San Joaquin Valley, and 23 percent in the Low Desert Region, but increased by 5 percent in the Sacramento Valley. The decline in acres treated with indoxacarb was mainly in San Joaquin Valley and the Low Desert Region, 65 percent and 43 percent, respectively, while the acres treated increased by 12 percent in the Sacramento Valley. The acres treated with methomyl declined by 48 percent in the Sacramento Valley and 70 percent in the San Joaquin Valley.

Rice

California's Sacramento Valley contains more than 95 percent of the state's rice acreage. The remainder is in north to central San Joaquin Valley. The leading rice-producing counties are Colusa, Sutter, Butte, Glenn, and Yolo. Approximately 600,000 acres in the Sacramento Valley are of a soil type restricting the crops to rice or pasture. The remainder of the acreage has greater crop flexibility.

Table 16A. Total reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres planted, and prices for rice each year from 2000 to 2004. Planted acres from 2000 to 2003 are from NASS, October 2004; planted acres in 2004 are from CASS, January 2005; marketing year average prices from 2000 to 2004 are from NASS, July 2001, July 2002, July 2003, July 2004, and July 2005.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 7,084,205 5,945,926 5,962,401 6,490,215 6,615,296
Acres Treated 2,164,498 1,738,355 2,061,850 2,226,949 2,755,210
Acres Planted 550,000 473,000 533,000 509,000 595,000
Price $/cwt $4.99 $5.28 $6.32 $10.40 $6.95

Table 16B. Percent difference from previous year for reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres planted, and prices for rice from 2000 to 2004.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 43 -16 0 9 2
Acres Treated 32 -20 19 8 24
Acres Planted 8 -14 13 -5 17
Price $/cwt -28 6 20 65 -33

Figure 14. Acres of rice treated by all AIs in the major types of pesticides from 1993 to 2004.

Figure 14

Total pesticide use (as pounds AI) in rice has generally increased since 1993, although most of that increase was due to adjuvants. Pesticide use increased approximately 24 percent from 2003 to 2004 in terms of acres treated, but only increased 2 percent in terms of pounds AI applied.  Herbicides accounted for most of the pesticide use; approximately 74 percent of non-adjuvant pesticide acres treated has been with herbicides.  Herbicide use has increased slightly during the 1990's and increased by approximately 16 percent from 2003 to 2004.  Insecticide use has been decreasing generally and fungicide use increasing.  Pesticides with large increases in use include cyhalofop-butyl, bensulfuron-methyl, fenoxaprop-ethyl, (s)-cypermethrin, and azoxystrobin. Pesticides with large decreases in use include molinate, carfentrazone-ethyl, MCPA, and malathion.

The major insecticides by acres treated in rice in 2004 were lambda-cyhalothrin, (s)-cypermethrin, and diflubenzuron; the major herbicides were propanil, triclopyr, cyhalofop-butyl, thiobencarb, and bispyribac-sodium; and the major fungicide was azoxystrobin.  The herbicides propanil and trichlopyr were the two most commonly used pesticides.  The third most commonly used pesticide was copper sulfate, which is used to control algae and tadpole shrimp. 

In 2004, no major shifts in pest pressure occurred. Rice acres planted increased from 509,000 acres in 2003 to 595,000 acres in 2004, a 17 percent increase. Besides increases in planted acreage, reasons for increases in herbicide use include the shift to new herbicides in areas of resistance, and the need for tank mixes and sequential applications for managing herbicide resistant weeds.  Reasons for decreases in herbicide use include weed resistance, wet weather causing difficulty with proper application timing, and increased grower confidence with the use of new herbicides on the market.  Prices are not a factor in explaining changes in pesticide use because there are few rice pesticides and the modes of action limited, so applications are based on need and not crop price.

Over the years, the proportion of acres planted that have been treated has increased gradually, although this change was minimal from 2003 to 2004.  Since herbicides account for most pesticide use in rice, it is safe to assume that the gradual increase in total rice pesticide use parallels the problem of increasing herbicide resistance.  Resistance has also forced an increasingly higher use of foliar herbicides applied in pin-point (flood water management systems) with water drained. This brings new flushes of weeds, particularly sprangletop and barnyardgrass, which explains the increase in use of herbicides like cyhalofop-butyl.

When considering pounds AI used per acre treated, there is an initial dramatic increase from 1999 until 2001, which probably has a lot to do with resistance. However, since then, there has been a steady and significant decrease in the amount of AI used per treated acre.  In 2004 growers used 30 percent less herbicide AI per treated acre than in 2001, and about 18 percent less than 2003.  This is due to the introduction of new compounds, such as bispyribac-sodium, clomazone, and cyhalofop-butyl that are used at very low rates. When considering the pounds AI used per acre planted, the total pounds of herbicide AI decreased by about 13 percent from 2003 to 2004, in spite of increased acreage that was planted.

The increases in the use of certain herbicides (propanil, bispyribac-sodium, clomazone, and bensulfuron-methyl) accompany fairly closely the increase in planted acreage plus the decrease in thiocarbamates (thiobencarb and molinate), carfentrazone-ethyl and MCPA use. More clomazone is used as growers learn how to use it. Mounting resistance problems with late watergrass (mimic) prompt growers to use bispyribac-sodium at the highest labeled rates, which are recommended for that purpose. The increased use of bensulfuron methyl is surprising, although the area treated is still small. This may reflect in part the recent difficulties in controlling rice field bulrush with carfentrazone-ethyl and the reduction in MCPA use. The large increase in cyhalofop-butyl use reflects the reduction in thiobencarb use (a sprangletop herbicide) and the mounting sprangletop problems resulting from an increasing use of pin-point systems for foliar herbicide application prompted by watergrass resistance, as discussed above.

Lambda-cyhalothrin is an insecticide used primarily for rice water weevil control and secondarily for armyworm control. Its use declined mainly due to competition from (s)-cypermethrin that was registered for the first time in California rice in 2003. Insect pressure is low for California rice and lambda-cyhalothrin is used on approximately 10 percent of all rice planted in California.

Copper sulfate is the only algaecide registered for use on California rice, and one of the few products acceptable for organic rice production. The product doubles as an insecticide, which is very important to organic rice growers.

Azoxystrobin is reduced-risk and the only foliar fungicide registered for use on California rice. Disease pressure is low for California rice, which is the reason azoxystrobin is used on approximately one-fifth the total acres planted.

Tomato (Processing)

Virtually all of the 281,000 acres of processing tomatoes harvested in 2004 were located in the Sacramento Valley or San Joaquin Valley. The increase in harvested acreage from 2003 to 2004 (nearly 7,000 acres, or 3 percent) partly explains the 5 percent increase in pesticide use from 10,943,940 to 11,536,133 pounds. A 12 percent increase in sulfur use-an additional 840,000 pounds over 2003 levels-also contributed significantly to the overall increase in pesticide use.

Table 17A. Total reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres harvested, and prices for processing tomatoes each year from 2000 to 2004. Harvested acres from 2000 to 2003 are from CASS, October 2004; harvested acres in 2004 are from NASS, January 2005; marketing year average prices from 2000 to 2001 are from NASS, January 2002; prices from 2002 to 2004 are from NASS, January 2005.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 10,665,766 7,917,190 10,645,872 10,943,940 11,531,813
Acres Treated 2,403,573 1,893,948 2,031,786 2,677,473 2,516,672
Acres Harvested 271,000 254,000 291,000 274,000 281,000
Price $/ton $58.60 $57.50 $56.80 $57.20 $57.40

Table 17B. Percent difference from previous year for reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres harvested, and prices for processing tomatoes from 2000 to 2004.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI -16 -26 34 3 5
Acres Treated -13 -21 7 32 -6
Acres Harvested -18 -6 15 -6 3
Price $/ton -17 -2 -1 1 0

Figure 15. Acres of processing tomatoes treated by all AIs in the major types of pesticides from 1993 to 2004.

Figure 15

Insecticide use (total pounds AI)decreased by 24 percent over 2003 and was lower than any time since 1993. The use of insecticides considered high-risk decreased 23 percent. Methomyluse decreased from 45,867 pounds in 2003 to 12,423 pounds in 2004 due to less concern for curly top in the south; the use of dimethoate was the inverse of methomyl, increasing from 24,250 pounds in 2003 to 39,188 pounds in 2003. Use of tebufenazide led a drop in the use of low-risk insecticides, accounting for nearly 70 percent (11,261 pounds) of the overall 41 percent drop in low-risk insecticide use. Methoxyfenozide substituted for tebufenazide in many cases, with use climbing from zero pounds in 2003 to 5,779 pounds in 2004. Both are used for armyworm control. Acetamiprid, a relatively new insecticide used for aphids, was another low-risk insecticide to increase, going from 173 pounds in 2003 to 1,732 pounds in 2004.

Growers continue to be concerned about the costs and availability of hand labor, reflected in a large increase in herbicide use (21 percent). The use of the three major herbicides- metolochlor,  trifluralin, and glyphosate-increased (pounds used) by 77 percent, 9 percent, and 26 percent respectively. These three herbicides accounted for 91 percent of  total pounds of herbicide use on processing tomatoes in 2004. Rimsulfuron use increased in terms of total acres treated, going from 119,809 treated acres in 2003 to 146,534 treated acres in 2004 but accounting for less than 1 percent of total pounds used. Transplant tomatoes continue to increase, resulting in increased use of metolochlor and decreased use of pebulate (down 74 percent) and napropamide (down 23 percent).

Two pesticides, sulfur and metam-sodium, made up over 83 percent of the total pounds of AIs applied to tomatoes in 2004, continuing a trend from the last three years. Sulfur is used for russet mite and powdery mildew, annual pests throughout California. Powdery mildew required early applications of sulfur in 2004 and remained a concern all year, explaining the increase in sulfur use. Metam-sodium is used as a preplant herbicide for both direct seeded and transplanted tomatoes.

Weather in April and May of 2004 returned to normal compared to the heavy spring rains of 2003. In the south there was no recorded rain in April, May, June or during harvest in August and September. Less bacterial speck and other early season diseases resulted in a 45 percent drop in fungicide use to more normal levels. The use of copper fungicides decreased precipitously, from 119,064 pounds in 2003 to 20,589 pounds in 2004. Use of mancozeb and maneb decreased 66 percent and 83 percent, respectively, partly attributable to less use in tank mix combinations with copper for the bacterial disease control program.   Use of chlorothalonil decreased 15 percent due to a comparatively dry August and September in 2004.

Oranges

Oranges are the eighth highest value crop grown in California. Eighty-six percent of California oranges are grown in the San Joaquin Valley. The rest are grown in the South East region (five percent, in Riverside and San Bernardino counties) and on the South Coast (about seven percent of the state's acreage, mostly in Ventura and San Diego).

Table 18A. Total reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, bearing acres, and prices for oranges each year from 2000 to 2004. Bearing acres from 2000 to 2003 are from CASS, October 2004; bearing acres in 2003-04 are from NASS, September 2004; marketing year average prices (equivalent P.H.D.) in 2000 to 2001 are from NASS, July 2003; prices in 2002 to 2004 are from NASS, July 2005.  A box is about 75 pounds of oranges.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 8,569,479 6,293,041 6,949,452 7,237,990 9,603,848
Acres Treated 2,181,618 1,727,085 1,910,155 2,050,026 2,249,087
Acres Bearing 199,000 198,000 195,000 189,500 182,000
Price $/box $5.40 $9.44 $10.85 $7.51 $10.72

Table 18B. Percent difference from previous year for reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, bearing acres, and prices for oranges from 2000 to 2004.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI -2 -27 10 4 33
Acres Treated 7 -21 11 7 10
Acres Bearing -2 -1 -2 -3 -4
Price $/box -52 75 15 -31 43

Figure 16. Acres of oranges treated by all AIs in the major types of pesticides from 1993 to 2004.

Figure 16

Total pesticide use (as pounds AI) in oranges between 2003 and 2004 increased from approximately 7.2 million pounds to approximately 9.6 million pounds, a change of 25 percent. Most of the change was due to increased insecticide use.

Overall insecticide use was up 20 percent from 2003, a change of over one million pounds. Insecticides used most (acres treated) in 2004 were chlorpyrifos, spinosad, petroleum oil, mineral oil, cyfluthrin and pyriproxifen. This list changes in terms of pounds AI used to petroleum oil and distillates, mineral oil, chlorpyrifos and cryolite. The discrepancy lies in the wide variation in rates applied for the various pesticides [some pesticides are applied at high rates (pounds per acre treated), e.g., petroleum oil, and some at very low rates, e.g., spinosad and cyfluthrin]. Between 2003 and 2004 large increases were reported in the use of mineral oil, chlorpyrifos and the reduced-risk insecticide spinosad. Carbaryl use decreased by 49 percent between 2003 and 2004 and pyriproxyfen use increased by 25 percent.

Kaolin and sulfur are used as both fungicides and insecticides. Use of kaolin went up in both acres treated and pounds and use of sulfur went down in acres treated and pounds.

Overall, fungicide use increased by 19 percent from 2003 to 2004. The highest used fungicides by acres treated were copper hydroxide, copper sulfate, copper oxide and mefenoxam. High fungicide use by pounds included the copper compounds and imazalil. There was a large increase in acreage treated with mefenoxam, a reduced-risk fungicide. Use increased by 43 percent between 2003 and 2004, but the actual amount used was less than 2,200 pounds in 2004.

Use of herbicides in oranges decreased slightly between 2003 and 2004. The herbicides used most in both acres treated and pounds AI were two types of glyphosate, diuron, bromacil and simazine. Amount used of almost all twelve of the top-used herbicide AIs decreased slightly between 2003 and 2004. The major exception to the overall decrease was oryzalin. The amount used and acres treated in 2004 were doubled over the preceding year.

Acres treated with fumigants increased between 2003 and 2004, although use of some individual AIs, such as metam sodium, decreased. The top three fumigants used in both acres treated and pounds were aluminum phosphide, 1,3-D and methyl bromide. The highest increase was in use of 1,3-D, which increased in pounds used and acres treated. Pounds used of methyl bromide increased, although acres treated decreased. The fumigants were not used on large acreages but since they are used at high rates, the amount used is significant, particularly for 1,3-D. The total of fumigants used in 2004 was 269,048 pounds on 2,337 acres and almost all of this was 1,3-D. Acreage appears low since fumigants are also used in post-harvest treatments where acreage is not a valid measurement.

According to NOAA (2005), the citrus growing regions of California remain in a severe drought with another dry year (the fifth in a row). California had a wet winter and a warm, dry spring. Temperatures were above normal across California especially in the spring. Fall was wet and cold with precipitation was above average across the state and temperatures were below normal.

Petroleum oil, petroleum distillates and mineral oilare broad-spectrum insecticides for aphids, mites and scales and the oils are also used as an adjuvant in pesticide treatments. Chlorpyrifos is a broad-spectrum insecticide for insects, cyfluthrin is used for citrus thrips, katydids and glassy-winged sharpshooter and spinosad is used for citrus thrips. Kaolin is a whitewash that is used to make citrus trees less attractive to glassy winged sharpshooter and is being used by some growers to reduce heat stress. Bacillus thuringiensis is used for caterpillar pests. Pyriproxyfen, an insect growth regulator,and carbaryl are used to manage scale insects.

Use of carbaryl decreased from 2003 to 2004, due to lower efficacy for scale pests relative to other insecticides. Growers are rotating the use of buprofezin and pyriproxyfen to control red scale. Citrus thrips are developing resistance to pyrethroids, so growers are using spinosad and cyfluthrin instead. The increase in chlorpyrifos was due to the dramatic increase in citricola scale and katydids in citrus groves. Growers are tank-mixing cyfluthrin, fenpropathrin, or chlorpyrifos with the spinosad used for citrus thrips in order to control katydids, which appear at the same time as thrips. Pesticide costs are increasing since the newer reduced-risk insecticides are more expensive. Growers needed to use more pesticides since orange production was down while prices were high in 2004.

Sulfur, copper hydroxide, copper sulfate and copper oxide are used to prevent Phytophthora gummosis, Phytophthora root rot, and fruit diseases such as brown rot and Septoria spot. Sulfur can also be used to control mites and citrus thrips. Mefenoxam, a reduced-risk fungicide, is used for Phytophthora diseases. Imazalil is used as a postharvest application on non-stored commodities.The unusually wet late half of the year partially accounts for the increase in the use of copper products since they are used to protect the fruit. Treatments for Septoria spot for Korean exports are now required, resulting in more use of copper sprays. Wet weather encourages the growth of Phytophthora diseases so growers need to use mefanoxem to control those diseases.

The herbicide glyphosate is used to control weeds post-emergence. Diuron, bromacil and simazine are used for pre-emergent weed control. Growers use herbicides to prepare the ground prior to planting. Decreased use of glyphosate, simazine and diuron are most likely due to ground water regulations.

Pounds used of the preplant fumigants methyl bromide and 1-3-D almost doubled. These fumigants are used to protect newly planted orange trees from nematodes and soil diseases such as Phytophthora root rot. This increased use appears to be caused by large-scale removal of Valencia oranges and their replacement by other varieties of citrus. The market for Valencia oranges had been poor, although improving recently, and many growers bulldozed these blocks and replaced these trees with other varieties of citrus. Another use for methyl bromide is as a post-harvest treatment on the fruit.

Head (Iceberg) Lettuce

Head lettuce is grown in four regions in the state: the central coastal area (Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara counties); the southern coastal area (Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties); the San Joaquin Valley (Fresno, Kings, and Kern counties); and the southern deserts (Imperial and Riverside counties). In 2004, 59 percent of all California head lettuce was planted in the central coastal area, 17 percent in the southern coastal area, 12 percent in the San Joaquin Valley, and 11 percent in the southern deserts. California produces 70 to 75 percent of the head lettuce grown in the United States annually. In this analysis, the central and southern coastal areas are combined.

Table 19A.  Total reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres harvested, and prices for head lettuce each year from 2000 to 2004. Harvested acres from 2000 to 2003 are from NASS, October 2004; harvested acres in 2004 are from NASS, January 2005; all marketing year average prices are from NASS, July 2005.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 1,770,426 1,431,087 1,440,302 1,468,612 1,617,854
Acres Treated 2,028,305 2,071,215 2,008,936 2,042,801 2,226,577
Acres Harvested 130,000 128,000 130,000 135,000 139,000
Price $/lb $18.80 $18.50 $14.90 $21.00 $15.10

Table 19B. Percent difference from previous year for reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres harvested, and prices for head lettuce from 2000 to 2004.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 9 -19 1 2 10
Acres Treated -9 2 -3 2 9
Acres Harvested -7 -2 2 4 3
Price $/lb 37 -2 -19 41 -28

Figure 17. Acres of head lettuce treated by all AIs in the major types of pesticides from 1993 to 2004.

Figure 17

Pesticide use (as pounds AI) on head lettuce gradually declined from 1995 through 2003, but increased in 2004. Major pesticides with the largest percent increase in acres treated were diazinon, imidacloprid, (S)-cypermethrin, dimethomorph, benefin, and metam-sodium. Major pesticides with the largest percent decrease were permethrin, methomyl, and fosetyl-al. During 2004, the top insecticides used (by acres treated) were diazinon, spinosad, permethrin, imidacloprid, acephate and (S)-cypermethrin. The main fungicides used were maneb, dimethomorph, iprodione, fosetyl-al, and vinclozolin. Three herbicides dominated― propyzamide (pronamide), bensulide, and benefin. Metam-sodium was the main fumigant used, followed by 1,3-dichloropropene, chloropicrin, and methyl bromide. 

Overall use of insecticides, fungicides, and fumigants rose during 2004 (both as acres and pounds treated). Use of insecticides varied among the different lettuce-growing areas. In the coastal area, more acres were treated with insecticides during 2004 than 2003. Use of low-risk insecticides increased by 28 percent, while that of high-risk pesticides increased by 12 percent. Insecticide use decreased by 4 percent in the southern deserts, and remained constant in the San Joaquin Valley. There was a 3 percent increase from 2003 to 2004 in acres of head lettuce harvested. Fungicide use increased by acres treated for the coastal area and southern deserts, possibly due to a wet winter and early spring along the coast, and a wet early summer in the southern desert, which led to outbreaks of diseases such as downy mildew. Although acreage of fungicides used increased during 2004, fewer pounds were used during 2004 than 2003, possibly because more products were used that are applied at a low rate.

The insecticides permethrin, spinosad, and emamectin are used to manage larvae of beet armyworm and cabbage looper, primarily pests in the southern deserts. Use of permethrin and spinosad dropped in the central coast and southern deserts in 2004, possibly due to less worm pressure. In the coastal area and San Joaquin Valley, use of emamectin increased, possibly because growers are substituting it for permethrin and spinosad. The decrease in spinosad use may have also resulted from lower populations of thrips, which have become serious pests in coastal and desert regions of California. Use of indoxacarb, an effective reduced-risk material for worms, decreased in all lettuce-growing regions. In the coastal area, insecticides such as avermectin are replacing permethrin to manage leafminers. Avermectin use in 2004 increased by 30 percent in Monterey County due to mounting leafminer pressure. In 2003, avermectin use had fallen off from previous years because leafminers posed little problem in this area. Use of cyromazine, a leafminer larvicide, increased by about 70 percent in the coastal area, thanks to a registration change that reduces plantback restrictions. Cyromazine also costs less than avermectin.

Diazinon is a preplant treatment applied to manage soil pests. Its use increased by 5 percent in the coastal area due to higher-than-normal pressure from symphylans. Diazinon use increased by 47 percent in the southern deserts, where it is often used for stand-establishment pests such as crickets, darkling ground beetles, earwigs, and sowbugs. In the coastal area, use of acephate and the neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, increased because lettuce aphids were plentiful. Use of another neonicotinoid insecticide, acetamiprid, also increased.

In 2004, maneb was the dominant fungicide used in head lettuce production, primarily to control downy mildew and prevent anthracnose. In the coastal area, less maneb was used in 2004 than in 2003, but a new material for downy mildew, dimethomorph, was used on 41,000 acres. Use of fosetyl-al fell from 2003 to 2004, possibly due to downy mildew tolerance. Use of acibenzolar-S-methyl, first registered for lettuce in 2001, increased seven-fold between 2001 and 2002, but fell four-fold from 2003 to 2004. This new reduced-risk fungicide stimulates plants to resist the pathogen that causes downy mildew. Although characterized as more effective against downy mildew than fosetyl-al, acibenzolar-S-methyl is more expensive. Use of iprodione in 2004 was higher than in 2003, although use of vinclozolin, also used for lettuce drop management, was lower. Use of another lettuce drop fungicide, dicloran, also decreased. Another new biofungicide, QST 713 strain of dried Bacillus subtilis, was used on three times more acres in 2002 than in 2001, but use fell in 2003, and even more so in 2004. First registered for use on lettuce in 2000, B. subtilis manages bacterial leaf spot and was the most frequently used bactericide. Although acreage of fungicides used increased during 2004, fewer pounds were used during 2004 than 2003, possibly attributable to increased use of products that are applied at a low rate such as dimethomorph.

Herbicide use increased by less than one percent from 2003 to 2004. Some of the increase may be due to the popularity of planting 80-inch instead of 40-inch beds with five instead of two seed lines. This practice can increase lettuce production by a third, but slightly more herbicide is applied to the wider beds. Use of propyzamide (pronamide), applied as a postplant-preemergence herbicide, increased from 2003 to 2004, especially in the southern deserts. As consistent with its use for the past ten years, propyzamide was applied to many more acres than the preemergence bensulide, which targets small-seeded annual grasses and is not as effective as propyzamide in the coastal areas. Use of benefin, a pre-plant herbicide, increased from 2003 to 2004, especially in the San Joaquin Valley.

Nematodes are not economic pests of head lettuce, so soil is primarily fumigated to control soil-borne diseases. In 2004, fumigants were used on fewer than 4 percent of all lettuce acreage. Fumigants, however, are heavy materials, so application in pounds can seem high. For example, in 2004, 95 acres of head lettuce throughout California were treated with methyl bromide, which translated to 21,400 pounds. Yet, the acreage treated represented only about 0.7 percent of head lettuce acreage. Although mainly used to eliminate soil-borne diseases, metam-sodium also controls weeds in lettuce fields, if somewhat unreliably. In 2004, fields fumigated with metam-sodium represented less than 3 percent of all lettuce acreage. Use of 1,3-D increased by half, but only a fraction of lettuce acreage was treated. The third most widely used fumigant, chloropicrin, reduces soil populations of Verticillium wilt and lettuce drop (Sclerotinia drop) alone or when combined with methyl bromide or 1,3-dichloropropene. From 2003 to 2004, use of chloropicrin dropped by a third.

Peaches and Nectarines

California ranks first in the United States in growing peaches and nectarines, producing 77 percent of the peaches and 96 percent of the nectarines in 2004. The state produced 100 percent of U.S. processed peaches and 60 percent of U.S. fresh market peaches. Clingstone peaches comprise about 57 percent of the total peach crop in California, and are used exclusively for processing into canned and frozen products (including baby food) and juice. California freestone peach production for fresh shipping represents 30 percent of the annual tonnage. Fresh market nectarines comprise approximately 98 percent of the annual tonnage. Clingstone peach acreage increased slightly in 2004, while freestone peach and nectarine acreage remained unchanged. Peaches and nectarines are discussed together because pest management issues for the two crops are very similar.

Table 20A. Total reported pounds of all active ingredients (AIs), acres treated, bearing acres, and prices for peaches and nectarines each year from 2000 to 2004. Bearing acres for peaches and nectarines from 2000 to 2003 are from CASS, October 2004; bearing acres in 2004 are from NASS, July 2005; marketing year average prices for fresh peach from 2000 to 2004 are from NASS, July 2001, July 2002, July 2003, July 2004, and July 2005; prices for nectarines all years are from NASS, July 2005.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 6,762,775 6,003,210 6,510,986 6,486,355 6,432,523
Acres Treated 1,687,752 1,609,554 1,581,916 1,496,833 1,518,626
Acres Bearing Peach 65,200 65,800 68,000 68,000 69,000
Acres Bearing Nectarine 35,500 36,500 36,500 36,500 36,500
Acres Bearing Total 100,700 102,300 104,500 104,500 105,500
Price $/ton Peach $380.00 $428.00 $418.00 $406.00 $341.00
Price $/ton Nectarine $398.00 $464.00 $382.00 $436.00 $342.00

Table 20B. Percent difference from previous year for reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, bearing acres, and prices for peaches and nectarines from 2000 to 2004.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 14 -11 8 0 -1
Acres Treated -1 -5 -2 -5 1
Acres Bearing Peach -2 1 3 0 1
Acres Bearing Nectarine 0 3 0 0 0
Acres Bearing Total -1 2 2 0 1
Price $/tons Peach -4 13 -2 -3 -16
Price $/tons Nectarine -3 17 -18 14 -22

Figure 17

Figure 18. Acres of peaches and nectarines treated by all AIs in the major types of pesticides from 1993 to 2004.

Peach and nectarine acreage treated with the major categories of pesticides has fluctuated from year to year since 1993 without substantial increasing or decreasing trends. Total pounds of pesticide AI applied and total acres treated changed very little in 2004. The major insecticides used (by acres treated) in peaches and nectarines in 2004 were oils, esfenvalerate, phosmet, the pheromones E-8-dodecenyl acetate, Z-8-dodecenyl acetate, and Z-8-dodecenol, chlorpyrifos, and spinosad; the major fungicides used were sulfur, copper products, propiconazole, ziram, and iprodione; and the major herbicides used were glyphosate, oxyfluorfen, paraquat dichloride, simazine, and 2,4-D.

The largest change in pesticide use was an increase in the total weight of herbicides applied. Pesticides with the greatest percentage increase in pounds AI applied on peaches and nectarines from 2003 to 2004 were the insecticide carbaryl and the miticide hexythiazox; the herbicides glyphosate, oryzalin, oxyfluorfen, 2,4-D, and pendimethalin; and the fumigants chloropicrin and sodium tetrathiocarbonate. Major pesticides with the greatest percentage decreases were the miticide fenbutatin-oxide and the fungicides chlorothalonil, captan, and fenbuconazole.

Three new pesticides, the insecticide methoxyfenozide and the fungicides pyraclostrobin and boscalid, saw significant use.

Crop prices, particularly for nectarines, were down substantially in 2004. When prices go down growers look for ways to reduce production costs, such as reducing pesticide applications. No major changes were clearly attributable to cost-cutting alone, however. The weather in 2004 had an important impact on pesticide use. It was favorable for stone fruit production, particularly in the northern region. A sunny February brought on early bloom, which was battered by rain. Nevertheless, fruit set was generally good. A March heat wave enhanced pollination of late varieties, and by the end of the month early varieties were beginning to show fruit. Continued warm, dry weather led to an early, high quality clingstone peach crop with a slightly higher per acre yield than in 2003. Freestone peaches and nectarines were harvested 10-14 days early and were also of good quality; per acre yield declined slightly due to varieties not sizing to their normal potential.

Controlling San Jose scale is a primary concern for freestone peach growers in the San Joaquin Valley. Heavier infestations require a dormant organophosphate spray plus oil or pyriproxyfen. If infestations are light, as they were in 2004, then oil alone is used. Katydids continue to be a secondary pest of concern. As growers continue to move away from using broad-spectrum pesticides, the incidence of fruit damage by katydids is more prevalent. Phosmet, methomyl, and spinosad are reportedly used to control katydid; the use of the first two increased modestly by pounds AI in 2004, while spinosad application decreased slightly. Many producers used pheromone mating disruption to control Oriental fruit moth and peach twig borer. The March heat brought moth flights on early, however, and some pests had an extra generation during 2004. The new insecticide methoxyfenozide is used for moth control. The long, dry growing season was also favorable for mites. Weather may account for a slight overall increase by weight in the use of insecticides and miticides, including considerable increases in carbaryl and hexythiazox. Clingstone peach growers are using less of the miticide fenbutatin-oxide because of resistance problems.

In comparison to a wet 2003, the warm, dry spring of 2004 reduced disease pressure and can account for the modest decline in fungicide applications by weight of AI. Sulfur use dropped 8 percent. Overall use of other fungicides, including chlorothalonil, captan, and fenbuconazole, was down by about 4 percent. New, lower-risk alternatives such as pyraclostrobin and boscalid are being substituted for older products.

Similarly, the long, dry 2004 stone fruit growing season meant a longer control period for weeds. This may largely account for the 32 percent overall increase in herbicide applications by weight of AI, including substantially greater use of glyphosate, oryzalin, oxyfluorfen, 2,4-D, and pendimethalin.

Total fumigant use by weight decreased slightly, by about 2 percent. The all-purpose fumigant methyl bromide is coming under increasing regulatory restriction. Preplant use of methyl bromide in stone fruit orchards held steady while acreage treated declined somewhat, perhaps due to changes in the pattern of strip treatments. There was a small decline in the postharvest use of methyl bromide. One reason for substantial increases in field application of the fumigants chloropicrin and sodium tetrathiocarbonate may be that they are alternatives to methyl bromide, at least in part.

Strawberries

Strawberries are grown mostly for fresh market. Depending on market prices, some are processed. California strawberry production occurs primarily along the central and southern coast, with small but significant production occurring in the Central Valley.

Table 21A. Total reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres harvested, and prices for strawberries each year from 2000 to 2004. Harvested acres from 2000 to 2003 are from CASS, October 2004; harvested acres in 2004 are from NASS, July 2005; all marketing year average prices are from NASS, July 2005.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 7,742,885 7,892,756 8,208,032 9,175,187 9,566,254
Acres Treated 1,018,119 874,220 981,748 1,267,524 1,241,172
Acres Harvested 27,600 26,400 28,500 29,600 33,200
Price $/cwt $61.40 $70.60 $67.40 $72.80 $74.20

Table 21B. Percent difference from previous year for reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres harvested, and prices for strawberries from 2000 to 2004.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI -12 2 4 12 4
Acres Treated 13 -14 12 29 -2
Acres Harvested 7 -4 8 4 12
Price $/cwt -15 15 -5 8 2

Figure 19. Acres of strawberries treated by all AIs in the major types of pesticides from 1993 to 2004.

Figure 19

The major pesticides with greatest increase in percent of acres treated from 2003 to 2004 were boscalid, triflumizole, pyraclostrobin, sulfur, malathion, and fenpropathrin.  The major pesticides with greatest decreased use per acre were, captan, thiram, myclobutanil, and Bacillus thuringiensis (Berliner). 

The major pests of strawberries are botrytis, powdery mildew, and lygus bugs in the northern growing areas. Worms (various moth and beetle larvae) especially cutworms and beet armyworms continue to be particularly troublesome in the southern growing areas. The amount of strawberry acreage treated with pesticides has increased since 1993, with the exception of 1997, 2001, and 2004. In terms of total pounds AI, between 1993 and 2004 pesticide use increased most years except for 1997 and 2000. Fungicides and insecticides account for nearly all pesticide use increases seen during this period.

Most of the pesticides used, as measured by acres treated, were fungicides.  Between 2003 and 2004 fungicide use held almost constant with a decrease of less than 1 percent. The major fungicides by acres treated in 2004 were captan, sulfur, fenhexamid, pyraclostrobin, and myclobutanil.  The older registered fungicides (captan, thiram, thiophanate-methyl, and benomyl) and the newly registered fenhexamid, fludioxonil and cyprodinil are generally used to control Botrytis fruit rot, a major disease of strawberries. All of these products declined in use in 2004 in terms of pounds applied except thiophanate- methyl use, which increased slightly. This increase was likely due to increased acreage, specifically of summer planted strawberries. General declines in use of these products resulted from less favorable weather conditions for the development of Botrytis fruit rot. Thiram use continued the decline seen in 2003 over 2002 also because it was likely replaced by captan for resistance management. Following a 104 percent increase in 2003, thiophanate-methyl increased another 3 percent, and continues to replace benomyl as an inexpensive systemic fungicide. The manufacturer has voluntarily canceled benomyl.

Conventional strawberry growers primarily used sulfur and myclobutanil to control powdery mildew. Sulfur is inexpensive and is also used by organic growers. Increased acreage of both conventional and organic growers might also have contributed to the increased use of sulfur despite somewhat less favorable weather conditions for disease development in 2004 over 2003. Nevertheless, powdery mildew pressure was high and many growers use sulfur exclusively to help control it. Boscalid, trifumizole and pyraclostrobin are new and effective fungicides for powdery mildew control first reported in 2003. Acres treated with these products increased substantially in 2004 over 2003. Boscalid is also used in combination with pyraclostrobin. Azoxystrobin is another new fungicide for strawberries that is very effective against anthracnose. Its use increased by 9 percent in 2004 over 2003.

Insecticide use increased by almost 4 percent. The major insecticides by acres treated were malathion, spinosad, methomyl, fenpropathrin, naled, bifenazate, Bacillus thuringiensis, hexythiazox and abamectin. Use of all major broad-spectrum insecticides, such as malathion, methomyl, naled, fenpropathrin, and chlorpyrifos, increased due to increased acreage and pest pressure [primarily lygus, and worms (moth and beetle larvae)] in 2004. Fenpropathrin use increased primarily because it is one of only a few products effective against lygus bugs, which have become an increasing problem. It is also used in combination with malathion to control whitefly. Pyriproxyfen, a newly registered insect growth regulator, is effective against white flies. Pyriproxyfen increased in use in 2003 but then declined by 41 percent in 2004. Reduction of whitefly pressure has lead to lower use of pyriproxyphen and imidacloprid (also a growth regulator) in favor of pyrethroids mixed with malathion. Reduction of petroleum oil use may have resulted in part from replacement by bifenazate (which became available in 2002 for strawberries) and by neem oil. Reduction in two-spotted spider mite pressure in 2004 may also have resulted in some reduction in petroleum oil use. Reduction in use of Bacillus thuringiensis (all forms) is in part due to the greater effectiveness of spinosad for cutworm and beet armyworm control. Most conventional growers used the miticide biphenazate in 2003; its use remained relatively unchanged in 2004 despite increases in strawberry acreage. Some of the increased insecticide use over all might also be due to reduced use of methyl bromide and the change (from broadcast to bed fumigation) in the way methyl bromide alternatives were applied in 2003 and 2004. For instance, this change might have increased the usage of chlorpyrifos for worm control.

Strawberry production relies on several fumigants. Overall fumigant use increased by 9 percent, including chloropicrin, 1,3-D, metam sodium and metam potassium, with methyl bromide use declining. Fumigants usually are applied at higher rates than other pesticide types, such as fungicides and insecticides. Fumigants are applied at high rates, in part, because they treat a volume of space rather than a surface area such as leaves and stems of plants. Thus, the pounds applied are large relative to other pesticide types even though the number of applications or number of acres treated may be relatively small. Fumigants accounted for about 86 percent of all pesticide AIs by pounds applied in strawberries. Acres treated with methyl bromide decreased 10 percent from 20,593 acres in 2003 to 18,467 acres 2004. Methyl bromide pounds used decreased by 13 percent, from 3,671,982 pounds in 2003 to 3,190,832 pounds in 2004, despite a 12 percent increase in acres harvested. Decline in methyl bromide use continues a steady trend since a peak in 1999. This decrease in methyl bromide use was likely a result of increase in price for this fumigant due to the Montreal Protocol phase-out, and use of less costly replacements such as 1,3-D. However, township caps on 1,3-D are limiting use of this AI as well. Growers also appear to be replacing methyl bromide with 1,3-D formulated with various percentages of chloropicrin, chloropicrin alone, and metam sodium. 1,3-D use both in pounds and in acres treated with this fumigant increased 70 percent in 2004. Chloropicrin use in acres treated increased by 4.5 percent from 27,016 acres in 2003 to 28,242 acres in 2004. Acres treated with metam sodium increased by 55 percent from 1,127 acres in 2003 to 1,741 acres in 2004. Metam sodium is generally more effective in controlling weeds, but less effective than 1,3-D or 1,3-D plus chloropicrin against soil-borne diseases and nematodes.

Carrots

California is the largest producer of carrots in the United States, accounting for about 65 percent of all U.S. carrot production. California produces more than 1.1 million tons of carrots annually on about 70,000 acres, with a total crop value of nearly $448 million. Carrots are grown for fresh market and processing. California has four main production regions for carrots: the San Joaquin Valley (Kern County), with significant production in Cuyama Valley (San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties); the low desert (Imperial and Riverside counties); the high desert (Los Angeles County); and the central coast (Monterey County). The San Joaquin Valley accounts for more than half the state's acreage.

Table 22A. Total reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres harvested, and prices for carrots each year from 2000 to 2004. Harvested acres of all carrots in 2000 to 2001 are from CDFA, 2002; harvested acres in 2002 and 2003 are from California Vegetable Review, CASS, January 2004; all marketing year average prices for fresh carrots are from NASS, July 2005.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI 7,582,107 6,506,317 7,823,438 8,613,683 8,075,913
Acres Treated 412,294 359,125 426,126 448,463 503,022
Acres Harvested 73,900 72,300 71,100 71,500 70,800
Price $/cwt $13.30 $18.10 $20.30 $20.40 $21.70

Table 22B. Percent difference from previous year for reported pounds of all AIs, acres treated, acres harvested, and prices for carrots from 2000 to 2004.

  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Lbs AI -12 -14 20 10 -6
Acres Treated -16 -13 19 5 12
Acres Harvested -1 -2 -2 1 -1
Price $/cwt -23 36 12 0 6

Figure 20. Acres of carrots treated by all AIs in the major types of pesticides from 1993 to 2004.

Figure 20

Pesticide use (as acres treated) in carrots remained fairly constant between 1993 to 2004 except for an increase in fungicide use and a smaller increase in fumigant use. Pesticides used most (as measured by acres treated) were mefenoxam, linuron, trifluralin, iprodione, metam-sodium,  sulfur, pyraclostrobin, copper hydroxide, chlorothalonil, 1,3-D, and fluazifop-p-butyl. The major pesticides with increased percentage in acres treated were polybutenes, boscalid, carbaryl, glyphosate, isopropylamine salt, pyraclostrobin, copper oxide, Bacillus thuringiensis, sulfur, and fluazifop-p-butyl. The major pesticides with decreased percentage use were tau-fluvalinate, fluazifop-p-butyl, cyfluthrin, azoxystrobin, and bifenthrin.

Cumulatively, the most used pesticide category for carrots, as measured by acres treated, was fungicides. From 2003 to 2004 acres treated with fungicides increased 27 percent while pounds increased by 4 percent. The most applied fungicides in 2004 were sulfur, chlorothalonil, copper hydroxide, mefenoxam, iprodione, copper oxide (ous), pyraclostrobin (registered in 2003), and azoxystrobin (registered in 2001).  Alternaria leaf blight, a major foliar disease, is generally controlled by iprodione, chlorothalonil, pyraclostrobin, or azoxystrobin.  Azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin are strobilurins with the same mode of action.  Increased use of pyraclostrobin probably resulted from market factors related to competition with azoxystrobin rather than to resistance to iprodione, although resistance has been documented. Weather conditions were normal without unusual Alternaria leaf blight development.  Cavity spot is a major, troublesome soil-borne fungal disease that is commonly controlled by applying mefenoxam or metam sodium (a soil fumigant). Growers might have relied less on metam sodium use, which declined by 14 percent by weight, to manage this root disease in 2004, resulting in an increased use of mefenoxam. Powdery mildew is primarily controlled by sulfur, which is inexpensive and especially popular with organic growers. Azoxystrobin is an alternative to sulfur, although more expensive.

The main herbicides used in carrot production were linuron, trifluralin, fluazifop-p-butyl, and glyphosate. The two most important are linuron (55,620 pounds, 75,865 acres treated) and trifluralin (29,486 pounds, 39,934 acres treated). Linuron, a postemergence herbicide, provides good control of broadleaf weeds and small grasses. Trifluralin, a preemergent herbicide, is used by carrot growers to complement linuron for weed management. There are no alternatives to trifluralin. However, metam sodium and crop rotation may be more effective for controlling specific weeds, e.g., nut sedges, especially purple nutsedge.

Carrot production relies on the fumigants 1,3-D, chloropicrin, and metam sodium. These fumigants are used at high rates to control soil-borne pests. Methyl bromide is no longer used on carrots. In 2004, fumigants accounted for about 82 percent of the total pounds of pesticide AIs applied to carrots. This figure is unchanged from 2003 because both pounds of fumigants and total pounds of pesticide used declined. Although acres treated with fumigants decreased by 14 percent, 1,3-D use increased by 5 percent. Use of metam sodium, primarily for weeds, soil-borne pathogens, and nematodes, declined 19 percent (acres treated) and14 percent (pounds). Chloropicrin use also decreased by 45 percent (acres treated) and 27 percent (pounds). Chloropicrin like metam sodium appears to have decreased due primarily to concerns about off-gassing. These products are perhaps being replaced to some extent by mefenoxam as described above. Chloropicrin is not used by itself in carrot production, but it is contained in a formulation of 1,3-D. Therefore, increased use of 1,3-D formulations that do not contain chloropicrin is suggested. 1,3-D is used primarily to control various nematodes and secondarily against wireworms and symphylans. Overall pounds of fumigant declined 8 percent in carrot production.

Insects are generally not a major problem in carrot production, except for white flies that are controlled with esfenvalerate. The major insecticides used in 2004 were esfenvalerate, diazinon, methomyl, cyfluthrin, malathion, bifenthrin, tau-fluvalinate, carbaryl, and spinosad. In 2004, esfenvalerate and methomyl use (as acres treated) decreased 45 and 51 percent respectively due to decreased white fly pressure and growers switching to carbaryl. Use of foliar spray formulations of carbaryl for control of armyworms, leafhoppers, and flea beetles increased 3.66-fold, while bait formulations increased 100-fold. Baits are used primarily to control migratory pests including saltmarsh caterpillars and cutworms.

VI.  SUMMARY OF PESTICIDE USE REPORT DATA 2004 INDEXED BY CHEMICAL

The report presents information of statewide pesticide use for 2004. For each chemical, the commodity on which it was used, total pounds applied, the number of agricultural applications made, and the amount of commodity treated are summarized.

A summary by commodity is presented in a separate report, Summary of Pesticide Use Report Data 2004 Indexed by Commodity.  Both versions of the Pesticide Use Report can be purchased from DPR or downloaded from the DPR web site

Sources of Information

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Almond Board of California. (October 2005).

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[CASS] California Agricultural Statistics Service. October 2004. California Agricultural Statistics 2003.

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CASS. January 2005. California Field Crop Review.

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[CDFA] California Department of Food and Agriculture. 2002. Resource Directory California Agriculture: A Tradition in Innovation. Sacramento, CA.

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Hutmacher, R.B., P. Goodell. 2005. 2004 SJV growing season review: weather conditions, pests and the crop. California Cotton Review 75: 1 -2.

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[NASS] National Agricultural Statistics Service. July 2001. Agricultural Prices 2000 Summary. USDA. Pr 1-3 (01)a.

NASS. July 2002. Agricultural Prices 2001 Summary. USDA. Pr 1-3 (02)a.

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NASS. July 2005. Agricultural Prices 2004 Summary. USDA. Pr 1-3 (05)a.

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[NOAA] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2005 (searches).
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Number of acres planted: acres_planted_pur United State Department of Agriculture, Vegetables― 2004 Summary― July 2005.

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[UC] University of California Cooperative Extension Area IPM Advisors

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Williams, Michael. 2005. Cotton Insect Losses - 2004