County Agricultural Commissioners Supportive of California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s New SprayDays Website

State officials charged with the enforcement of California’s stringent pesticide laws are reacting positively to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s (CDPR) implementation of a new system created to notify the public of pending application of what are called ‘restricted use pesticides’ on farms.

 “In California, farmers have always been required by law to notify their County Agricultural Commissioner before they make an application of a restricted use pesticide on their farms,” said Lindsey Carter, Executive Director of the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association. “These applications must be approved in advance by the local Ag Commissioner who is charged with making sure pesticides are applied in a safe manner and that all regulations are being followed.”

 For the first time, the public will now have access to information about pending pesticide applications throughout the state through a new website at SprayDays_California.

 According to CDPR, the SprayDays system is designed to provide transparent, accessible and timely notifications and information about the use of specific pesticides, called “restricted material pesticides.” Restricted material pesticides are a category of pesticides subject to California’s strictest regulations, including requirements on where they can be used, who can use them and how they can be used.

 The new SprayDays system allows the public to sign up to receive an email or text notifying them when an application of a restricted use pesticide is expected to take place in the immediate vicinity of their homes, offices or schools. Users can also search for nearby pesticide applications via an interactive map.

 “DPR has done a great job developing the SprayDays website in making it a user-friendly system,” said Carter.  “We are hopeful the public will find this a useful tool for its intended purpose, which is to provide transparent information when it comes to the application of pesticides in California that are necessary for managing pests and ensuring a stable food supply. The SprayDays website is also a resource for information on pesticide safety and how pesticides are regulated in California.”

 Carter emphasized that SprayDays provides notification only for pesticides categorized by CDPR as “restricted use pesticides.”

 “In California, farmers are required to report their use of all categories of pesticides to CDPR. Use trends indicate that over the past 10 years, use of restricted use pesticides has been on the decline while organic and biological pesticide use has increased by over 50 percent,” explained Carter. “This means the public may see the application of these safer pesticides taking place in their communities without receiving notification.”

 Carters also noted that members of the public can contact their local Ag Commissioner’s office if they have questions or concerns about specific pesticide applications. Ag Commissioners operate in every California county and serve as a valuable resource about specific local agriculture and pest issues. A contact list for county Agricultural Commissioner offices can be found here.

 All questions concerning the SprayDays website should be directed to DPR through email at spraydays@cdpr.ca.gov.

CACASA Endorses Congressman Jim Costa as Ranking Member of U.S. House Committee on Agriculture

The California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA) has announced its support for Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) for the position of Ranking Member of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture.

“Congressman Costa is a third-generation farmer from one of the most productive agricultural regions of the nation with a diversity of livestock and crops including citrus, dairy, almonds and grapes,” said Lindsey Carter, Executive Director of CACASA, an organization that represents Agricultural Commissioners who operate in all 58 counties of California to enforce pesticide regulations and perform myriad duties designed to ensure that bees, farmworkers and the environment are protected and that invasive pests are prevented from taking hold in the state’s agricultural fields. 

According to USDA National Ag Statistic Services, agricultural producers in Costa’s congressional district that includes parts of Fresno and Tulare counties, produce agricultural products valued at $2.8 billion.

Congressman Costa is a senior member of the House Committee on Agriculture.  During his tenure, Congressman Costa worked across the aisle to help craft three Farm Bills in 2008, 2014 and 2018 providing vital support to our nation’s farmers, reducing hunger, improving international food assistance programs and export market development programs.

Congressman Costa’s experience and leadership on the Subcommittees on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture have showcased his understanding of the complex biological nature of agriculture that impacts all segments of the U.S. food supply chain and international trade.  U.S. agricultural trade can be impeded by trade barriers being erected by trading partners for plant and animal health risks if preventative government programs are not executed precisely and based on sound science.

Early in his congressional career Congressman Costa was a strong leader in securing the first-ever Horticulture Title in a Farm Bill, establishing policies and programs regarding specialty crops. He authored the Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246). Since its enactment much-needed enhancements have been added to the protection of our nation’s food supply and environment.

CACASA representatives notes that Congressman Costa understands the vital role in facilitating trade of agricultural commodities domestically and internationally. With numerous seaports and an international border, California is a gateway to the U.S. for imports. But California is also a major exporter of agricultural products. Congressman Costa has first-hand knowledge of what it takes to facilitate the movement of agricultural products from production to their ultimate destination, including the certification of products destined for foreign ports. As Ranking Member of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, Congressman Costa’s deep experience and technical know-how can be instrumental in forthcoming trade negotiations impacting agriculture like the U.S., Mexico, Canada trade agreement.

“California leads the U.S. with the highest value of both crop and livestock sales, respectively,” continued Carter noting that in 2023, California’s farms and ranches received $59.4 billion in cash receipts for their output.  “The bottom line is there is no one in the U.S. Congress better suited to help lead the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture than Congressman Jim Costa. In addition to being uniquely qualified, he is dedicated to the prosperity of American agriculture and committed to working with the multiple and diverse constituencies in the food and agriculture industry.  Now more than ever we need a leader with experience and talents like those of Congressman Jim Costa.”

CACASA Presents “Champions Award” to California Assemblymember Diane Papan

he California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA) honored Assemblymember Diane Papan (D-San Mateo) with its first-ever “Champions Award” during the organization’s Fall Conference held in Sacramento in October.

“This new CACASA Champions Award is being bestowed to individuals in recognition of their work to fight for safe, fair and equitable consumer protection policies,” said Lindsey Carter, Executive Director of CACASA.  “Assemblymember Papan did just that during this past legislative session by authoring and fighting for passage of AB 2037, a bill designed to ensure electric vehicle chargers are accurate.”

AB 2037, which was signed into law by Governor Newsom last month, authorizes the Sealer of Weights and Measures located in each California county to test and verify as correct any electric vehicle charger operated by a public agency. 

This is the same service County Sealers provide for gas stations to ensure pumps are accurate and that consumers are protected from overcharges when they fuel their vehicles with gasoline. Prior to this bill, privately owned EV charging stations were subject to third-party verification, but those owned by public agencies such as city or county governments were exempt. 

“With more and more local governments installing EV charging stations in their communities, it’s important they are subject to the same testing required of privately-owned charging stations,” said Carter.  “Papan supported this effort to ensure that consumers are protected from fraud at all EV charging stations just like they are with gas stations.

“Papan believes that County Sealers and their staff members are the ideal third-parties to test EV stations for accuracy and worked closely with us to ensure its passage,” said Carter.  “We appreciate the time and effort Assemblymember Papan put in on this bill and thank her for recognizing that County Sealers are the unsung heroes when it comes to protecting consumers.” 

Carter explained that every California county has a person designated as the county’s official Sealer of Weights and Measures. Often the County Sealer also serves as County Agricultural Commissioner.  These individuals are appointed and employed by the County Board of Supervisors. They oversee a staff who perform myriad duties designed to ensure pesticide laws are enforced, that bees, farmworkers and the environment are protected and that invasive pests are prevented from taking hold in the state’s agricultural fields.  In addition, under their responsibilities as County Sealers, they routinely visit retail outlets monitoring prices and checking to make sure that weights of products sold at retail are accurate. County Sealers also inspect and test all water, electric and natural gas sub-meters, gasoline pumps and propane dispensers to ensure they are accurate and any commercial operation that uses a scale to sell consumer goods, must have them regularly certified by the county Sealer.

AB 2037, the new law authored by Assemblymember Papan, specifies that County Sealers are authorized to test and verify as correct any electric vehicle charger operated by a public agency located in the county in which the Sealer has jurisdiction. Upon testing and finding that an electric vehicle charger is incorrect, the County Sealer must mark the station with “out of order” and require the charger be repaired or corrected. The law states the County Sealer is authorized to levy a civil penalty against a public agency for removing signage stating the charger is out of order. It also authorizes the county Board of Supervisors to charge an annual registration fee for the cost of inspecting and testing an electric vehicle charger operated by a public agency. 

AB 2037 goes into effect January 1, 2026.

State’s Pesticide Law Enforcers Encouraged by Latest Air Monitoring Report

The association representing California’s Agricultural Commissioners who enforce pesticide regulations throughout the state is encouraged by a new air monitoring report issued by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) which found no detectable pesticides in 95 percent of air samples collected. 

“California Agricultural Commissioners work closely with our state agency partner at CDPR to enforce the most stringent and comprehensive pesticide regulations in the country, if not the world,” said Lindsey Carter, Executive Director of the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA). “This data is a great indication these laws are working to protect people and the environment in and around farming communities.”

“Monitoring the air in communities with high pesticide use is critical to keeping California safe for everyone,” said DPR Director Julie Henderson in a press release. “I am encouraged to see that all of the 2023 pesticide concentrations fall below our health screening levels.”

Importantly, CDPR notes in its release that screening levels are developed through scientific evaluation to conservatively estimate when a pesticide air concentration may have any impact on human health.

Carter noted that CACASA expects that pesticide detections in air will continue to decrease as several new regulations were put into place in January 2024 including laws to further restrict the use of the soil fumigant 1,3-dichloropropene.

“California is by far the most highly regulated state in the nation when it comes to the use of pesticides by farmers and commercial applicators,” said Cartner noting that Ag Commissioners in each California county are charged with enforcement of pesticide regulations. “As part of our work to ensure pesticide regulations are being followed, Ag Commissioners conduct regular, unannounced inspections of farm and commercial residential applicator activities in our counties. This includes inspectors patrolling farming areas looking for pesticide applications in process and investigating to make sure all regulations are being followed.”

Carter noted that data gathered from the thousands of inspections that take place across the state, indicate there is a very high compliance rate with pesticide regulations among farmers and commercial applicators.

“Californians should feel confident that they are being protected from exposure to pesticides through the stringent regulations put forth by CDPR, the Ag Commissioner system that enforces these laws and comprehensive monitoring to ensure these regulations are working,” said Carter. “The effectiveness of California’s existing pesticide policy is often overlooked as we continually strive to make improvements.” 

County Sealers of Weights and Measures Play Key Role in Recent Home Depot False Advertising Case

Most consumers don’t know about efforts in their counties to protect against retail fraud.

Last week a group of county district attorneys announced that Home Depot had entered into a stipulated judgment paying nearly $2 million to settle a civil lawsuit alleging false advertising and unfair competition arising from overcharging customers. 

District attorneys were alerted to this situation after receiving consumer complaints and were able to act on evidence provided by a group of officials known as county Sealers of Weights and Measures. Although most consumers have never heard of their county “Sealer,”  every California county has one. These individuals are working every day to ensure retail outlets, gas stations and other commercial operations aren’t overcharging for a variety of consumer goods from eggs to gasoline. 

“Every California county has a licensed employee who serves as the county’s official Sealer of Weights and Measures,” explains Lindsey Carter, Executive Director of the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA), an organization that represents these county officials. “In nearly all counties the County Sealer also serves as County Agricultural Commissioner.  These individuals are hired and employed by the County Board of Supervisors and they oversee a staff who perform a myriad of duties designed to ensure pesticide laws are enforced, that bees, farmworkers and the environment are protected and that invasive pests are prevented from taking hold in the state’s agricultural fields.  In addition, under their responsibilities as the county Sealer they work to make sure retail store pricing is accurate, that a pound of something you buy in the store really weighs a pound and that a gallon of gas is what ends up in your tank when you purchase a gallon of gas at the pump. 

“County Sealers of Weights and Measures are the unsung heroes when it comes to consumer protections,” continued Carter.  “The recent Home Depot case is a perfect example of how the county Sealers work to protect consumers. The case and the resulting positive judgment would not have been possible without them.”

The case against Home Depot began several years ago when a handful of consumer complaints were filed in Orange County against the big box chain. Evidence of mispricing at Home Depots located in Orange County provided by the County Sealer verified that routine pricing inspections conducted at Home Depots between 2018 and 2022 indicated 64 percent resulted in overcharges to the consumer. After learning that the San Diego County District Attorney’s office was also investigating overcharges at Home Depot, a joint investigation was conducted and eventually expanded to include District Attorney offices from Orange, San Diego, Alameda, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Sonoma.

“Sealers of Weights and Measures in offices from all six of these counties provided price verification inspection data that supported the continuing violations by Home Depot. This data enabled a statewide civil action to be filed,” says Jose Arriaga, the Sealer of Weights and Measures in Orange County. “The case was filed in Superior Court of California in San Diego County on August 26, 2024 charging Home Depot with overcharging consumers and making false or misleading statements with regards to the price of an item. We are really happy to report the evidence provided by county Sealers was compelling and a settlement was reached quite quickly.

“As noted in last week’s announcement, not only was Home Depot charged a fine, but they were also ordered to initiate and maintain an internal Price Accuracy Program to promote price accuracy in every existing Home Depot store in California,” said Arriaga. “This is designed to ensure there is real change at this retail operation. But Sealers in every California county will continue to check up on them as we do with a wide array of other retail establishments.”

According to a report from California Department of Food and Agriculture, in fiscal year 2022-23 county sealers throughout the state tested the pricing accuracy of 372,344 items at 23,674 different locations. The report found that just over 2 percent of the items checked were found to be overcharges. But, as was seen in the Home Depot case, the county Sealer system works to ensure that continuous fraud is identified and prevented.

“County Sealers and their staff are diligently working to protect consumers and are routinely visiting retail outlets monitoring prices and checking to make sure that weights of products sold at retail are accurate,” said Carter, who explained that county Sealers also routinely inspect and test all water, electric and natural gas sub-meters, gasoline pumps and propane dispensers to ensure they are accurate and any commercial operation that uses a scale to sell consumer goods, must have them regularly certified by the county Sealer.

“The Sealers of Weights and Measures touch so many of the items we buy every day, it’s kind of amazing that we don’t hear more about them,” says Carter.  “But it’s good to know these individuals are there watching out for us.”

California Ag Commissioners Join 300+ Farm Groups Supporting Push for Farm Bill in 2024

ay, the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA) joined 303 other organizations representing farmers, livestock and specialty crop producers, lenders, and other essential stakeholders in agricultural communities across the United States to express their strong support for advancing a meaningful farm bill in 2024 that addresses worsening conditions in farm country. The groups emphasized the imperative for Congress to act before the year’s end to strengthen farm policy for America’s farmers.

 CACASA President Juan Hidalgo underscored the association’s support for robust pest and disease management programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the importance of the nationwide pest and disease prevention and control network that combats harmful pests and diseases.

 “We appreciate the good working relationships with the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) in protecting the health of U.S. agriculture and natural resources against invasive pests and diseases,” Hidalgo said. “It is of utmost urgency that a new Farm Bill includes robust support to carry out biological plant pest detection and surveillance activities that help prevent the introduction or spread of plant pests harmful to agriculture and the environment.”

 California recently celebrated the successful eradication of all populations of invasive fruit flies in the state. The 2023 invasive fruit fly outbreak was unprecedented, marking the worst of its kind in CDFA’s 100-year history. The outbreak included first-ever quarantines for Tau (Zeugodacus tau) and Queensland (Bactrocera tryoni) fruit flies in the United States and Western Hemisphere. The infestations also included species such as Oriental (Bactrocera dorsalis), Mexican (Anastrepha ludens), and Mediterranean (Ceratitis capitata) fruit flies. With their successful eradication, quarantines have recently been lifted across Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento, San Bernardino, Santa Clara, San Diego, Riverside, and Ventura Counties, freeing thousands of acres of commercial agriculture from restrictions.

“Our most recent collaborative efforts with the fruit fly outbreak showcase that the programs and network to combat invasive pests and diseases are effective and work to lift trade restrictions imposed by other countries for such infestations that can significantly impact production, yields, and farmers’ bottom lines,” said Lindsey Carter, CACASA Executive Vice President. “Robust pest and disease programs authorized in the Farm Bill are a ‘penny-wise’ investment and critical to our continued success in protecting U.S. agriculture,” Carter added.

CACASA is advocating for Congress to continue and improve biological programs such as those contained in the Plant Protection Act (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 7721), which combat pests and diseases. The 2018 Farm Bill authorized $75 million each year for the PPA programs nationwide. The program has not seen significant additional investments since then.

Another effective pest prevention program includes the National Agriculture Detector Dog Team Program.  APHIS trains dog teams for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspections under the Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) program to conduct international inspections at our nation’s points of entry.  Trained dogs and their handlers also work for State departments of agriculture (California, Florida, Hawaii, North Carolina, & territory of Guam), county agricultural commissioners and foreign agriculture ministries to conduct domestic inspections in warehouses, mail and package facilities to identify plant and agricultural materials inside packages, as well as other pest detection efforts.  Considering the growing use of canine teams nationally and within territories of the U.S., CACASA is urging Congress to authorize a domestic National Agricultural Detector Dog Team Inspection Program in the Farm Bill with sufficient mandatory annual funding focusing on interior U.S. pest pathways and program efficiencies that includes training closer to the proximity where the dog teams and their handlers will ultimately be deployed.

 About CACASA:  Representing all of California’s 58 counties, County Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers of Weights and Measures have the roles of promoting and protecting the state’s food supply, agricultural trade, the environment, public health and safety, consumer confidence and a fair marketplace in California. Unique to California, County Commissioners and Sealers are appointed by their respective Boards of Supervisors and work cooperatively with California Department of Food and Agriculture and Department of Pesticide Regulation, federal and other state agencies, and stakeholders to implement regulatory programs at the local level for applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances.

 Supporting state and federal efforts, Agricultural Commissioners certify agricultural shipments for export, prevent the introduction, spread and establishment of invasive agricultural pests, and protect human health and the environment from impacts of improper pesticide use. Sealers provide a “level playing field” for businesses and ensure that consumers are protected in the marketplace in the purchase of commodities being weighed, measured, or counted.

Officials Tour Successful Invasive Pest Programs Working to Protect California Agriculture

The 2023 invasive fruit fly outbreak in California was considered the worst of its kind in the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) 100-year history.

Despite this unprecedented level of infestations, earlier this week CDFA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in collaboration with County Agricultural Commissioners announced that, after a year of hard work, all populations of invasive fruit flies from California have been eradicated.

One day after the announcement, the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA) hosted a tour for government officials of two programs proven to be critically important to the success of preventing and eradicating invasive pests in California.

“California operates an incredibly effective  program utilizing dog teams that are able to detect plant material in packages that may contain a variety of incoming pests,” said Jose Arriaga, Orange County Agricultural Commissioner. “These dog teams are key to helping us identify packages containing plant material and potential hitchhiking pests that come into California from around the world, allowing us to deter pests from infesting our local agricultural industry, the natural environment and our gardens.”

As part of the CACASA tour, CDFA officials and Congressional staff members  visited the FedEx facility in Fullerton to observe the Orange County Agricultural Detector Dog Team in action inspecting hundreds of incoming packages.

“What is most impressive with the canine teams, is that they can clear up to 8000 parcels a day in facilities like Fed Ex, making them fast and thorough,” says Victoria Hornbaker, CDFA Director of Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services. “The Canine Detection teams are vitally important to the pest prevention system. If invasive pests become established, it could cause irreparable damage to California’s bountiful agricultural and our natural environment. I will add that Bear, in addition to being a hard worker, is a really handsome brown Labrador.”

Tour attendees also visited the Medfly Preventive Release Program Facility in  Los Alamitos. This program is a joint project of USDA and CDFA with the objective to prevent establishment of Medfly colonies in California using a scientific process known as sterile insect technique or SIT.

“SIT is a biological-based breeding interruption method involving the release of large numbers of sterile male Medflies to reduce the reproductive potential of wild populations,” says Kurt Floren, Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner. “By flooding the environment with sterile male flies, fertile female Medflies will most likely attempt breeding with one of these sterile flies, resulting in no offspring and elimination of the population through attrition.”

Floren also notes that prior to the establishment of the facility and the SIT practices, California employed a reactive approach to Medfly finds often using controversial aerial applications of pesticides.

“This sterile insect technique approach has been extremely effective at eradicating Medfly populations with no negative impacts to the environment,” says Floren.

The Medfly Preventive Release Program in the Los Angeles Basin currently encompasses 1,750 square miles and includes portions of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. When infestations occur, the strategic location of the facility in Los Alamitos allows for a swift response anywhere in California.

Attending the CACASA tour were CDFA Undersecretary Christine Birdsong; Victoria Hornbaker, CDFA Director of Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services; David Pegos, CDFA Special Assistant/Executive Director of the Invasive Species Council of California; and Helene Wright, USDA APHIS State Plant Health Director along with Alexa Fox, Senior Legislative Assistant to Representative Jim Costa (D-CA 21^st District) and other Capitol Hill staff from the offices of Congressional Representatives J. Luis Correia (D-CA 46th District) and Michelle Steel (R-CA 45th District).  Leading the tour were representatives from Orange and Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner offices and Tim Cansler of Cansler Consulting.