SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Food and Agriculture is now accepting grant applications for its Proactive IPM Solutions Program, administered by the Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis, or OPCA.

The goal of this program is to anticipate which exotic pests are likely to arrive in California and to identify and test IPM strategies that can be rapidly implemented if the pests become established in California.

CDFA is responsible for preventing and mitigating invasive pests in California. Techniques resulting from the Proactive IPM Solutions Program will allow for rapid deployment of future management plans.

Applications are due on March 25 by 5 p.m.

Detailed information on this program, including the application process and application requirements, is available at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/opca/proactive-ipm.html.

OPCA received an annual appropriation of $544,000 for this and other research as part of the 2018-2019 budget.

OPCA provides consultation to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation on pesticide regulatory matters.

The offices’ consultative activities focus on potential pesticide regulatory impacts and pest management alternatives that may mitigate or prevent such impacts on production agriculture.

OPCA staff is also involved in other projects relating to pesticide use and alternatives to high-impact pesticides.

Information on the Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis is available at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/opca/.