The Department of Agriculture adopted amendments to regulations governing administration and enforcement of the Pesticide Act. The amendments, among other things, designate any pesticide containing one or more listed neonicotinoid active ingredients to be a state-limited pesticide that may only be distributed by licensed dealers and exempt certain pesticide products containing those neonicotinoid active ingredients from designation as a state-limited use pesticide based on specific use patterns identified on the pesticide product label.

The Department of Agriculture proposed amendments to regulations governing the classification of pesticides. The proposed amendments would classify pesticide products containing the active ingredient warfarin as "state-limited-use" pesticides when used as a feral hog toxicant and establish related licensure requirements. Comments are due December 16, 2023.

The Department of Pesticide Regulation proposed amendments to regulations governing pesticide regulatory program activities. The amendments would require electronic submission of notices of intent (NOIs) for agricultural use to the County Agricultural Commissioner, make NOI information publicly available, and require the Department to evaluate its system and processes and issue a report three years after implementation. Hearings will be held December 13, 14, and 19, 2023. Comments are due January 12, 2024.

The Board of Pesticides Control proposed amendments to regulations concerning special restrictions on pesticide use. The amendments would broaden the scope of grower and product-specific requirements for plant-incorporated protectants, remove the requirement for dealers to sell sweet corn plant-incorporated protectants in quantities of more than one acre, and change certificate requirements to a one-time course and test without the need for annual renewal. Comments are due November 24, 2023.

The Department of Pesticide Regulation proposed to amend Cal. Code Regs. tit. 3, §6130. The amendments would increase the fine range for administrative civil penalties levied by county agricultural commissioners from a maximum of $5,000 to a maximum of $15,000 for Class A violations of pesticide use law and from a maximum of $1,000 to a maximum of $3,000 for Class B violations. Comments are due November 20, 2023.