The California Department of Pesticide Regulation has finalized their statewide pesticide application notification system regulations now known as Spray Days California.  The regulations are the first-of-its-kind system to provide advance information on the planned applications of restricted material pesticides used in agriculture.  The statewide notification regulations will be effective February 24, 2025, and DPR is on track to begin the implementation of the statewide system, SprayDays California, in March 2025.  DPR will be conducting outreach to growers, communities and the broader public in early 2025 in advance of the system launch to provide more information on the regulatory requirements and the information provided in the system, including information on the pesticide regulatory system in California.

In summary, this action requires all agricultural use notices of intent (NOIs) to be electronically submitted to the County Agricultural Commissioner (CAC) via CalAgPermits.org.  Additionally, it requires all NOIs for soil fumigations to be electronically submitted to the local CAC via CalAgPermits.org a minimum of 48 hours before the intended start of the application.  It also requires specific information from NOIs for the use of restricted materials requiring a permit for the production of an agricultural commodity to be electronically submitted to DPR via CalAgPermits.org at least 48 hours in advance of the intended start of a soil fumigation and at least 24 hours in advance of the intended start of an application of all other pesticides. Additionally, beginning March 26, 2025, this action requires DPR to make the specific NOI information it receives publicly available upon receipt or as soon as practicable.  Finally, it requires DPR to issue annual updates on its system and process for making the specific NOI information publicly available until DPR issues a comprehensive report on the system three years after February 24, 2025, or as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable. This was vigorously opposed by the Association and the agricultural industry.