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California Department of Pesticide Regulation Invites Public to Provide Input on Development of Statewide Pesticide Notification System


Contact:
Leia Bailey
Assistant Director of Communications & Outreach
916-445-3974 | Leia.Bailey@cdpr.ca.gov

October 27, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


En Español

SACRAMENTO – The public is invited next week to provide input into the development of a statewide system by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) that will notify the public in advance of pesticide applications occurring near where people live, work or play.

The 2021-22 state budget allocated $10 million to DPR to begin the development of the tool, which will advance environmental justice and further protect public health by providing transparent and equitable access to information on the application of pesticides. This will, in turn, provide an opportunity for people to make their own decisions about any additional precautions they may want to take to protect their health.

“Our goal is to increase transparency and provide equitable access to information about pesticide applications,” said DPR Acting Director, Julie Henderson. “This will provide an opportunity for the public to make their own decisions about additional health precautions they want to take to protect themselves and their families. We believe this is also an opportunity to strengthen the engagement between DPR, County Agricultural Commissioners and the communities we serve.”

The webinars are scheduled for:

  • Nov. 2 from 9-11:30 a.m. (English with simultaneous Spanish interpretation) and
  • Nov. 3 from 5:30-8 p.m. (Spanish with simultaneous English interpretation).

Details are available on DPR’s website.

The input gathered through this webinar series, in addition to focus group discussions conducted in August 2021 with community members, regulatory agencies, growers, and regulated industries, will inform DPR’s design and development of the system.

DPR and the state’s 56 County Agricultural Commissioners work together to ensure compliance with pesticide laws and regulations, including operating strict enforcement programs, monitoring the use of restricted materials and fumigants, and penalizing illegal pesticide use. DPR’s current regulatory structure provides a strong and enforceable framework for the safe application of pesticides.

“The development of this system will build on DPR and California’s existing regulatory framework, providing the public with the opportunity to receive a real-time notification about pesticide applications occurring nearby,” said Henderson.

The development of this statewide system will include additional public workshops to collect input on the tool’s scope and design, development of a platform that is usable and accessible, and a formal regulatory process. The tool is anticipated to launch in 2023-24.

To learn more about the development of the tool on DPR’s website.

To receive the latest updates via email, you can subscribe to DPR’s listserv.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION

California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s mission is to protect human health and the environment by fostering safer and sustainable pest management practices and operating a robust regulatory system to monitor and manage the sale and use of pesticides across the state. DPR’s work includes registering all pesticides sold or used in California, conducting scientific review and evaluation of pesticides to assess and mitigate potential harm to human health or the environment, monitoring for pesticides in the air and water, and enforcing pesticide regulations in coordination with 56 County Agriculture Commissioners and their 400 field inspectors. DPR also conducts outreach to ensure pesticide workers, farmworkers and local communities have access to safety information, and invests in innovative research to encourage the development and adoption of integrated pest management tools and practices. More information about DPR can be found at www.cdpr.ca.gov.

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