The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) recently released findings from an independent study assessing its mill fee. This evaluation aimed to secure sustainable funding for DPR’s mission and encourage eco-friendly pest management. The mill assessment serves as the department’s primary source of funding. The study revealed DPR’s critical underfunding, imperiling essential programs safeguarding people and the environment. Additionally, it pointed out a lack of resources for developing safer pest management alternatives in various settings.
“This study highlights the urgent need to provide short- and long-term funding for the department to continue to improve protections for people and the environment and ensure the availability of safe, effective pest management tools,” DPR Director Julie Henderson said in a press release. “The way pests are managed impacts human health and the environment. The department needs effective long-term, stable funding to ensure pest management approaches across the state protect people and the environment and support agriculture, community well-being and our wildlands.”
The 2023-24 state budget allocates $1.9 million to address immediate needs for pesticide registration, evaluation, and strategic planning. Allocated funding is also meant to support the initiation of the Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap and fumigant pesticide alternatives study. To ensure lasting stability, the study recommends gradually increasing the mill assessment from the current $0.021 to $0.0339 per sales dollar, with consideration for a tiered structure supporting sustainable pest management.
CalEPA Secretary Yana Garcia stressed the need for sufficient DPR funding to expedite safer tool registration and enhance pesticide evaluation. Garcia emphasized DPR’s role in safeguarding human health and the environment, underscoring the importance of resources for fulfilling their mandate and implementing the Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap.
Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West