Advancing Safe, Effective, and Sustainable Pest Management in California: A 2025 Mid-Year Progress Update from DPR
California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is driven by a commitment to accountability, transparency and continuous improvement in advancing protections for human health and the environment. In the first half of 2025, DPR continued to modernize its work, taking major steps to strengthen oversight, fast-track access to safer pesticide alternatives and increase community engagement across the state.
Under the leadership of Director Karen Morrison, who recently marked her first four months in the role, DPR is advancing its long-term vision: Pest management that is safe, effective and sustainable for all Californians and our environment.
Below is a snapshot of recent key actions and accomplishments that are shaping DPR’s path forward.
Streamlining Safer Pest Management Solutions
DPR continues to prioritize actions that promote using lower-risk, effective pest management tools.
- In late 2024, the department launched CalPEST, a streamlined, electronic system that modernizes the pesticide registration process. CalPEST enhances transparency for registrants, supports business needs and improves the efficiency of DPR’s scientific reviews. The tool helps move safer alternatives and other pest management tools more swiftly through the department’s rigorous evaluation process. For 2025, 64% of product renewal submissions were submitted electronically for the first time through CalPEST.
- DPR continues to evaluate and mitigate risks posed by registered pesticides. In early 2025, the department posted its first online tracker for continuous evaluation and mitigation actions and updated the tracker this week with the current status of its ongoing work on dozens of pesticides.
- To inform and prioritize the work to mitigate the highest risk pesticide uses, DPR is also developing a Pesticide Prioritization Process and a supporting Priority Pesticides Scientific Advisory Committee. DPR anticipates moving forward with the committee nomination process later this year.
Expanding Public Access and Transparency
As part of a broader effort to increase transparency, DPR is modernizing how pesticide-related information is shared and ensuring that communities have a voice in how decisions are made.
- Launched in late March 2025, SprayDays California, a first-of-its-kind system, allows users to sign up for notifications when restricted material pesticides are scheduled for application on nearby farms—with up to 48 hours’ notice. To date, SprayDays has received more than 15,000 visits to its interactive map, and more than 3,000 Californians have signed up to receive email or text message notifications.
- DPR is currently establishing a new Environmental Justice Advisory Committee (EJAC) to ensure that communities most impacted by pesticide exposure have formal input into policy development and program design. The department just closed its call for nominations for members of the EJAC and is on track to convene the committee and host its first meeting later this year.
Strengthening Enforcement to Protect Communities
DPR’s enforcement program supports safe pesticide use through inspections, compliance checks, legal action and accountability.
- Between January 1 and May 31, 2025, DPR’s Enforcement team:
- Collected 991 pesticide residue samples across 151 sites statewide collecting produce and testing the produce for pesticide residues. When residues above legal limits are found, DPR can take action to remove the product from the marketplace.
- Conducted 61 Market Surveillance Inspections (MSIs), inspecting the places where pesticides are sold to make sure the products for sale are registered in California and in compliance with laws dictating how pesticides can be packaged and labeled.
- Completed 24 Product Evaluation Inspections (PEIs), inspecting the facilities that manufacture or repackage pesticides to ensure compliance with state and federal pesticide use regulations.
- Performed 146 Oversight Inspections of County Agricultural Commissioners’ enforcement programs and evaluate the training, technical guidance, and records collected by CACs to ensure adherence to state requirements and DPR approved work plans.
- DPR recently took enforcement action against Keystone Pest Solutions, an Idaho-based company, for alleged violations of California state law governing the sale of restricted material pesticides in the state.
- Between January 1 and May 31, 2025, DPR’s enforcement partners, County Agricultural Commissioners (CACs), collectively conducted:
- 548 Field Worker Safety Inspections to ensure agricultural employers are following laws that protect workers handling or working near pesticides.
- 6,729 Pesticide Use Monitoring Inspections to include inspections of commodity fumigation, soil field fumigation and structural uses to verify pesticides are applied legally and safely.
- 2,413 Pest Control Business and Headquarters Inspections to confirm that licensed businesses are maintaining proper records and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Supporting Local Engagement and Capacity
DPR is investing in local partnerships and knowledge-sharing to promote sustainable practices and community engagement.
- In 2025, DPR received 52 proposals for Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) research and implementation projects, totaling over $17.8 million in requested funding. DPR anticipates awarding about $5 million through its Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and SPM grant programs, with funding received from the 2024-2025 state budget. Over the past 20 years, DPR has awarded more than $26 million to support over 100 projects advancing IPM practices across California.
- The department is also providing additional resources to County Agricultural Commissioners (CACs) to help expand outreach and enforcement capacity at the local level, including:
- A pilot Language Access Hub provides CAC staff with free translation of any pesticide enforcement materials and 24/7 interpretation services through May 2026. So far, staff from 17 counties have used the service to translate materials into seven different languages, including pesticide labels, county registration forms, safety training content and community outreach materials.
- Reimbursements for CAC-led activities and materials that promote local engagement with their communities.
Tracking Progress and Engaging the Public
To ensure accountability, DPR is closely tracking its progress on key initiatives tied to its 2024–2028 Strategic Plan.
In recent weeks, the department has:
- Opened public comment periods for major regulatory proposals, related to groundwater protection, pesticide use near schools and the fumigant 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), with more proposals expected later in the year. Learn more about other proposed regulations. DPR’s regulations are enforced by DPR and county agricultural commissioners.
- Participated in more than 60 public events in 2025, including community meetings in Stanislaus County focused on air monitoring, and most recently, a community meeting in Kern County highlighting environmental justice concerns.
- Conducted dietary risk evaluations on 10 different produce samples, as part of the department’s ongoing pesticide residue monitoring and human health protection work.
Looking Ahead
DPR’s efforts are part of a broader, long-term strategy to support pesticide regulation in California remains science-driven, community-informed and environmentally responsible.
To stay informed about future updates, strategic milestones, ways to get involved and other developments, sign up for DPR’s email list below.