Department of Pesticide Regulation Announces Winners of Annual IPM Achievement Awards, Scheduled for February 24
SACRAMENTO — The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) today announced the winners of this year’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Achievement Awards, the department’s annual recognition of outstanding programs and organizations across the state that focus on using safe, effective, and sustainable pest management practices.
The winners include Santa Cruz County’s Wild Farm Alliance, Benicia-based LakeTech Inc., and the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Mediterranean Fruit Fly Preventative Release Program in Los Alamitos.
“California’s transition to a more sustainable pest management system is only possible through ongoing collaboration and innovation from partners across the state to address the state’s evolving pest management needs.” said DPR Director Karen Morrison. “This year’s winners have exemplified SPM success by connecting with diverse communities on safer IPM practices, promoting innovative approaches to preserve waterways, and decreasing reliance on conventional pesticide use in support of a resilient agricultural economy.”
IPM is any approach that uses the least toxic, effective method to solve pest problems. SPM is a whole-system approach that builds on IPM to include the wider consideration of pest management impacts on communities and the environment, impacts of climate change and extreme weather on pest pressures, and availability of economically viable pest management solutions that support stable and affordable food production.
This year’s event will include a keynote panel discussion about the ongoing work in California to accelerate sustainable pest management, an awards ceremony, and IPM exhibits and demonstrations for networking and learning opportunities.
IPM Achievement Awards Ceremony and Event Details
When: Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
Time: 1:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Keynote Panel Discussion: 1:00 p.m.
Award Ceremony: 1:30 p.m.
IPM Exhibits and Demonstrations: 2:00 p.m.
Where: In-person: California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) Headquarters, Byron Sher Auditorium, 1001 I Street, Sacramento | Virtual (Virtual In Spanish)
The event will take place in the Byron Sher Auditorium, Coastal Hearing Room, and second floor mezzanine. The ceremony will also be streamed on the CalEPA Webcast. Interpretation into Spanish will be provided in-person and on the webcast.
What: This year’s IPM Achievement Awards event includes a keynote panel discussion to highlight SPM successes and challenges, a ceremony to celebrate the annual IPM Achievement Award winners and exhibits and opportunities for networking and educational resources.
- Keynote panelists will include:
- Kamal Bagri, Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures of San Joaquin County
- Jonathan Evans, Environmental Health Legal Director, for the Center for Biological Diversity
- Jamie Fanous, Policy & Organizing Director, of the Community Alliance with Family Farmers.
- Exhibitors will include California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and University of California Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM), among others.
- Demonstrations from DPR-funded grantees Pestec and the California Invasive Plant Council that will touch upon rodent and weed management, respectively.
IPM Achievement Award Winners
Wild Farm Alliance
For promoting and facilitating the use of IPM practices that support sustainable agriculture and wildlife through bilingual outreach and collaborative projects
Wild Farm Alliance is a non-profit organization with a mission to promote healthy, viable agriculture that helps to protect and restore wild nature. Founded in 2000 by a group of wildland proponents and ecological farming advocates, Wild Farm Alliance now reaches thousands of growers, practitioners, and stakeholders yearly.
As a demonstrated leader in sustainable agriculture, Wild Farm Alliance conducts field days, farm tours, demonstration plantings, webinars, and online outreach, to share knowledge of IPM implementation, beneficial organisms, and other tools to support sustainable pest management success. It focuses on economic sustainability for small- and large-scale growers by promoting practices that are cost-effective and scalable.
Wild Farm Alliance’s dedication to sustainable agriculture through outreach and collaborative projects is an inspiration for IPM adoption throughout California and beyond.
LakeTech, Inc.
For advancing sustainable pest management practices for aquatic ecosystems and maintaining healthy environments for community recreation
LakeTech, Inc., a company that advises public agencies, lake managers, and private owners on ecosystem-based aquatic management, is being recognized for promoting sustainable pest management practices to protect waterways and public access to nature.
LakeTech, Inc. uses an integrated pest management (IPM) based approach to keep lakes healthy and usable for the public. The company’s unique lake management platform allows for the early identification and treatment of problems. Practices that mitigate aquatic pests, like improving lake aeration and increasing oxygen levels to manage algal blooms, are prioritized over chemical inputs. The results include reduced pest management issues, decreased need for chemical inputs, and maintenance of natural lake qualities. East Bay Regional Park District staff give credit to LakeTech’s intervention for helping to keep district lakes like Lake Temescal and Lake Anza open for the entire 2025 season after harmful cyanobacteria limited the swimming season in previous years.
LakeTech, Inc. is a leader in supporting sustainable pest management and has contributed greatly to the responsible stewardship of waterbodies and continued recreational opportunities in communities throughout California.
CDFA/USDA Medfly Preventative Release Program
For preventing the establishment of an invasive species through safer, more sustainable practices that reduce pesticide use and demonstrate significant economic benefit in California
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture Medfly Preventative Release Program (PRP), created in 1996, is being recognized for its longstanding, successful efforts in preventing the establishment of the invasive Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) in California. The program, which covers 1,750 square miles across portions of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties, uses sterile insect technique (SIT) to control Medfly infestations while reducing chemical use. SIT involves the release of sterile male medflies into target areas to reduce population growth of wild flies.
The CDFA/USDA Medfly PRP collaborates with domestic and international governments, universities, and private industry to increase efficacy of their program and share data to support similar programs around the world.
This highly effective program has successfully reduced the average number of annual Medfly infestations in California, while decreasing reliance on conventional pesticide use, protecting Californians from devastating environmental and economic losses, and providing economic value for agriculture in Southern California.