Pesticide Use Enforcement

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The Pesticide Use Enforcement Division provides for the proper, safe, and efficient use of pesticides essential for production of food and fiber and for protection of the public health and safety. It also protects the environment from potentially harmful pesticides by prohibiting, regulating or ensuring proper stewardship of pesticides. An important component of the program focuses on agricultural and pest control workers, ensuring safe working conditions, use of proper protective equipment and training for employees who work with or around pesticides. Other components of the program include pesticide use reporting, incident investigations, outreach activities promoting best management practices, and monitoring applications in the field.

Considered Alternatives and Mitigations to Restricted Materials

Dear Growers and PCA’s,

As we enter into the 2021 pesticide permit season, California’s County Agricultural Commissioners want to make you aware of some new information that will be required prior to issuing you a restricted materials permit. Title 3 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR), section 6426 requires a permit applicant (grower) and pest control advisers to consider feasible alternatives to the use of restricted materials before applying for a restricted material permit with the county agricultural commissioner (CAC). What that means is that starting in 2021, you will need to provide your CAC with documentation that you have considered non-restricted alternatives to each restricted material that you place on your permit. Specifically, you should consider the following:

Effectiveness (consider: broad control vs. selectivity, allowable applications per season, delivery mechanism, etc.)
Reliability (consider: weather effects, resistance development, effects of other species such as argentine ants when attempting to control mealybugs, etc.)
Economic Factors (consider: cost-benefit of application, quality metrics, harvest timing, trade restrictions, etc.)
Environmental Factors (consider: how alternative could avoid or substantially lessen any significant environmental effect)
Social Factors (consider: nearby buildings or institutions, availability of labor and PPE, likeliness of drift, etc.)
Technological Factors (consider: delivery mechanism, type of sprayer available, acreage and topography, automation, etc.)

The CAC will consider the information you provided above in its independent review of your permit application and in the CAC’s consideration of feasible alternatives and mitigation measures, per Title 3, CCR section 6432. We know that this new requirement will create an added workload, but pledge to do our best to work with you to ensure that you can continue to protect your crops while maintaining full compliance with California’s pesticide laws and regulations. Please contact your local CAC for more information.

NEW! Neonicotinoid Regulations to Protect Pollinators

New regulations effective January 1, 2024 to protect pollinators:

The Department of Pesticide Regulation has adopted regulations to protect pollinators from the hazards associated with exposure to neonicotinoid pesticide products containing active ingredients:

clothianidin
dinotefuran
imidacloprid
thiamethoxam

The regulations will affect the application of these pesticides on certain food and feed crops. Product labels will not be updated with these requirements.

The Department suggests those selling, recommending, buying, or using these products be aware of these regulations. Applicators and growers must follow the new regulations if applicable and more restrictive than the label.

For more information, see CDPR's Neonicotinoid Regulations page at:

Neonicotinoid Regulations - California Department of Pesticide Regulation

New Paraquat Label Requirements

New labeling states that paraquat handlers, mixers and loaders must now be a certified applicator and must complete the online paraquat EPA training module. Paraquat Dichloride products that enter the market place after November 14th, 2019 are required to have the new labels; some older product may still be in the channels of trade.

EPA Training Module Certification

Please provide a copy of your or your employee’s certification to our office.

California Law Requires Beekeepers to Register Bees

Pesticide Incident Reporting

IF THIS IS AN EMERGENCY and pesticides endanger people's health, CALL 911.

Please contact (530) 822-7307 if a Pesticide incident occurs after business hours or on weekends.

Si ocurre un incidente de pesticida despues del horario de oficina o fines de semana, favor de comunicarse al (530) 822-7307.

RESOURCES FOR REPORTING PESTICIDE INCIDENTS:

Find out what steps to take to report a pesticide-related incident, illness, or concern.

How to Report a Pesticide Incident:

Fact Sheet: How to report pesticide incidents, illnesses, or concerns:

Contact your County Agricultural Commissioner to report a pesticide-related incident, illness or concern: Call 1-87PestLine (1-877-378-5463) to get connected to your local County Agricultural Commissioner.

Find direct contact information for your County Agricultural Commissioner through an online resource or find your CAC’s contact information and information you can provide when reporting a pesticide incident:

Other ways to report pesticide incidents:

CalEPA’s online complaint form

Pesticide Use Near Schools

CalAgPermits

CalAgPermits Login

Create a CalAgPermits User Name and Password at calagpermits.org in order to quickly submit Use Reports and Notices of Intent. While we encourage the use of CalAgPermits for all report submissions, paper versions can be delivered to our office or emailed to sutteragpue@co.sutter.ca.us.

Conditions

Handouts/Registration Forms

Pesticide Use Enforcement Newsletter

Other Forms

Respirator Regulations

Rice Permit Conditions

County Maps

Training Tools

Meetings/Training/Events

Sutter County Pesticide Container Recycling Program

2024 Pesticide Container Recycling Program

To date, we have recycled over 64,840 pounds of pesticide containers in 2022! We have now recycled nearly 1.5 million pounds of pesticide containers since 2007! Good job Sutter County growers, and thank you for participating.

Classes

Important: All Private Applicator Certificate holders are required to obtain six hours of continuing education hours every three years; of which two hours must be in Laws and Regulations. The Sutter County Agricultural Commissioner's Office will host four meetings starting in November to assist in this requirement. Each class will be worth three hours of continuing education hours, pending approval. The Continuing Education Schedule will be released in October.

Contact Sutter County Agricultural Office at (530) 822-7503 for information.

Sutter County Environmental Contamination / Worker Safety Suspected Violation Hotline

Sutter County, CA

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