Data shows that pesticide use in California has once again declined. The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) confirmed the findings in a recent report. DPR’s annual Pesticide Use Report (PUR) for 2021 shows that the use of pesticides declined by more than 10 percent. A total of 95 million cumulative acres were treated with 191 million pounds of active ingredients in 2021.
“We applaud growers and others for moving to safer, more sustainable pest management alternatives, including oils and biopesticides, while decreasing overall pesticide use in the last decade,” said DPR Director Julie Henderson. “We will continue to support grants, funding and other opportunities to expand access to alternatives and decrease the use of higher-risk pesticides to accelerate the adoption of sustainable pest management across the state.”
The report notes that pounds of pesticides declined by nearly 25 million pounds compared to 2020. Acreage that they were applied to also declined by nearly 11 million acres. Almonds, grapes, strawberries, oranges, and tangerines were treated with the most total pounds of pesticide materials in 2021 and are considered “commodities of interest.” Alfalfa, carrots, cotton, rice, walnuts, pistachios, processing tomatoes, and peach and nectarines are also in that category. Collectively, commodities of interest represent 72 percent of the total amount of applied pesticides.
While overall pounds of biopesticides applied have increased 77 percent from 2012, it actually decreased 12 percent between 2020 and 2021. Acreage treated with biopesticides has also increased by 51 percent in the last ten years but declined seven percent in 2021. Pounds of oil used have increased 31 percent over the last decade but also declined between 2020 and 2021.
DPR generally collects approximately three million pesticide use records annually. PURs are compiled by DPR, using information from reported pesticide use for agricultural and nonagricultural sites. Data from farms, parks, managed urban landscapes, rights of ways, roadsides, and structures is used as part of the reports.
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