Laws & Regulations

Beginning November 1, 2013, regulations by the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to cut smog-producing emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from pesticides went into effect. California is becoming the first state in the nation to invoke regulations to reduce Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in agriculture by restricting the use of certain nonfumigant pesticide products during the growing season in the San Joaquin Valley. VOCs - Volatile Organic Compounds - are gases that react with nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the presence of heat and sunlight to form ground-level ozone – the primary component of “smog." VOCs are regulated as “ozone precursors" under the U.S. Clean Air Act and similar state laws. This CE course explains how the regulations will work and providers its readers with the information needed to be in compliance with the new regulations.

This online course covers the management of spray drift to minimize problems. Spray Drift Management (SDM) has been a critical element for Western agriculture for decades. Keeping crop protection chemicals on the crop for which they are intended has been a cornerstone of Western farming not only to protect neighboring crops, but to avoid wasting money by allowing products to drift off the intended target. Spray drift management has taken on greater significance as cities encroach upon rural areas. Every year, increasingly more houses and other types of developments are springing up in prime growing areas, oftentimes alongside fields, orchards or vineyards. This leads to increased concerns about the use of agricultural chemicals and the ways they are applied. This course will review many aspects of spray drift – from practical, hands-on ways to minimize drift, to the regulatory issues surrounding it.

This course is sponsored by Western Farm Press. There are an estimated 150,000 named species in the insect group called Lepidoptera. Outnumbered only by the beetles, Lepidoptera represent the second-most diverse order of insect pests, and virtually every cultivated plant is attacked by at least one type. They are ready to defoliate and weaken plants or mine plant tissues, leaving holes and frass behind and rendering crops unmarketable. Their scientific name comes from the Greek Lepidos, for “scale,” and Pteron, for “wing”--literally “scale wing,”--because the wings of adult butterflies and moths are covered with microscopic scales. This course will specifically highlight six lepidopterous pests: the beet armyworm, cabbage looper, diamondback moth, tomato fruitworm, tomato pinworm and western yellowstriped armyworm. The course will also cover managing Lepidopterous pests in a wide array of crops and includes an additional section on Pesticide Safety.

California is the nation's Number One agricultural state as well as its most populous state. Water quality and its availability are critical to the state's future. Surface and ground water are subjected to contamination from both urban and agricultural sources. Pesticides, even if used legally according to approved labels, can contaminate water. Pesticides have been found in groundwater in a wide variety of soils at many depths at many geographic locations within the state. Contaminated groundwater poses a risk to human and livestock health as well as the environment. California's Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are working jointly with growers, pest control advisers and chemical manufacturers to stop further contamination and to limit current contamination. This course, sponsored by Western Farm Press, will focus on the key issues and regulations concerning protecting groundwater supplies in addition to developed surface water.

Biopesticides are increasingly being recommended as components of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs in the production of non-organic high-value specialty crops like fruit, nut, vegetable, vine, ornamental and turf. There are about 430 registered biopesticide active ingredients used in a wide array of agricultural pest management products. Biopesticides are derived from natural materials such as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. Biopesticides are considered an effective pest control option for organic crop production. However, they increasingly are being recommended and used as components of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs in the production of non-organic high-value specialty crops such as fruit, nut, vegetable, vine, ornamental, and turf. This online CE course covers the principles for using the 430+ registered biopesticide active ingredients used in a wide array of agricultural pest management products. It is sponsored by Marrone Bio Innovations and includes a Safety Review at the conclusion of the course material.