As part of the Governor’s Proposed Budget for the 2024-25 Fiscal Year, the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) submitted a Budget Change Proposal (BCP) seeking to increase the mil assessment on pesticides sold in the state to fund 117 positions. The BCP is intended to:
- Address DPR’s structural budget deficit;
- Protect human health and safety;
- Support existing programs, including County Agriculture Commissioners;
- Enhance DPR’s enforcement authority;
- Enhance DPR’s efforts to promote sustainable pest management as an alternative to application of higher-risk pesticides; and
- Accelerate registration of new pesticides.
Fee Increases
The mil assessment, which generates roughly 80% of DPR’s funding, is a fee paid by retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers when pesticides are first sold into the state. The mil assessment also supports local County Agricultural Commissioners. An independent study of DPR’s mill assessment found that DPR is “critically underfunded”, thereby jeopardizing its ability to operate its existing programs to protect people and the environment from pesticide risks. The mil assessment has been statutorily fixed at 2.1 cents per dollar in sales. DPR proposes to increase the mil assessment to 2.86 cents per dollar in sales over a three-year period, which is expected to generate about $25 million annually. DPR also seeks statutory changes to allow it to further increase the fee up to 3.39 cents per dollar after a public review process.
DPR’s BCP also notes that it will be proposing increases to its pesticide registration fees and licensing fees later in 2024.
Personnel Increases
DPR requests 117 new positions, which is less than the 149-position gap identified in a 2023 workload study. Those positions include:
- Pesticide Registration – 12 positions
- Pesticide Environmental Evaluation – 17 positions
- Pesticide Human Health Evaluation – 2 positions
- Research and Alliance Grants – 4 positions
- Pest Management Alternatives Support – 7 positions
- Administrative Support – 22 positions
- State Pesticide Enforcement Actions – 6 positions
- Licensing and Certification – 3 positions
- Worker Health and Safety Programs – 3 positions
- Product Compliance and Mill Auditing – 7 positions
- Pesticide Use Evaluation and Technical Support – 5 positions
- Environmental Evaluation and Technical Support – 6 positions
- Statewide Oversight of Local Enforcement Programs – 6 positions
- Technology Needs – 7 positions
County Agriculture Commissioners
DPR is proposing to “increase engagement and collaboration with all stakeholders to identify concerns and opportunities with pest management” including “at the county level through DPR’s local partners, including training and development of [County Agriculture Commissioner] staff.” DPR is seeking 20 positions to improve public participation, access, and transparency and 3 positions to support and oversee local County Agriculture Commission enforcement programs and train those local agencies. DPR is also seeking to increase funding for local County Agriculture Commissioners for hosting educational events and community meetings. Lastly, DPR is seeking to centralize contracting for pesticide takeback programs on behalf of County Agriculture Commissioners.
Enforcement
Other trailer bill language (proposed by DPR, but not currently available) would modify the statute of limitations for violations of pesticide use laws and the timeframe during which appeals can be made to the Director of DPR.
For more information, please contact John Kennedy, RCRC Senior Policy Advocate.