California's pest prevention system needs an update

By Lindsey Carter 

Recent glassy-winged sharpshooter incidents aren’t significant simply because of the pest involved. They’re a reminder that California’s first line of defense against invasive pests is under increasing pressure.

As global trade, travel and e-commerce continue to increase, California’s pest prevention system is being asked to stop more threats than ever before—using a system that has not kept pace with the growing challenge.

California has comprehensive plans to prepare for wildfires, protect water supplies and respond to public health emergencies. Yet when it comes to safeguarding the farms, ranches and natural resources that make California the nation’s agricultural leader, California’s pest prevention system has not been prioritized in more than 30 years. 

California has spent decades investing in building one of the most productive agricultural economies in the world. We’ve invested in research, irrigation, food safety, infrastructure and market development. But we’re not making a comparable investment in shoring up a long-term strategy for protecting agriculture from the growing threat of invasive pests.

Recognizing this need, the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association initiated a comprehensive assessment of California’s pest prevention system. The purpose was simple: Determine whether the system designed to protect California agriculture is prepared for the threats of today and tomorrow.

The findings were both encouraging and concerning.

California’s pest prevention system has an impressive record of success. County agricultural commissioners, Border Protection Stations, detector dog teams, trapping networks, sterile insect production facilities and countless other programs quietly protect California agriculture every day. 

But the assessment also found that while pest pressures have increased dramatically during the past three decades, many parts of California’s pest prevention infrastructure have remained largely stagnant. Staffing shortages, aging technology, limited facilities and fragmented funding have made it increasingly difficult for the system to keep pace with today’s risks.

The stakes could not be higher. For growers, invasive pests don’t just threaten yields—they jeopardize export markets, increase production costs and create uncertainty that can last for decades.

California agriculture is a $60 billion industry that supplies food to consumers across the country and around the world. Beyond the farm gate, invasive pests also threaten urban landscapes, forests, natural ecosystems and international market access for California commodities.

Strong pest prevention also advances another goal shared by agriculture and the public alike: reducing pesticide use.

When invasive pests become established, growers often have little choice but to increase pesticide applications to protect crops. When eradication efforts succeed, those additional treatments are no longer needed. The most effective way to reduce pesticide use is to prevent new invasive pests from becoming established in the first place.

Additional dollars are needed to shore up the aging system. But the answer is not simply more funding. The answer is a better plan.

Over the coming year, CACASA will bring together growers, commodity organizations, environmental interests, university researchers, state and federal agencies, and other stakeholders to develop a comprehensive Statewide Pest Prevention Plan. Much like California’s long-range planning for wildfire prevention and water management, this effort will identify priorities, improve coordination among agencies, modernize pest prevention programs and create a roadmap for future investment. 

Just as importantly, it will help answer difficult questions about where resources are needed most, how success should be measured and how responsibility for funding should be shared among agriculture, environmental interests, local government, the state and federal partners.

This effort cannot succeed without agriculture’s voice.

No one understands the consequences of invasive pests better than the growers whose livelihoods depend on healthy crops and reliable access to domestic and international markets. As this plan takes shape, your experience and perspective will be essential to ensuring it reflects the realities facing California agriculture.

The recent glassy-winged sharpshooter incidents should not simply be viewed as isolated events. They should remind us that protecting California agriculture requires the same long-term planning and commitment we devote to every other form of critical infrastructure.

The state has invested generations of work building the world’s greatest agricultural economy.

California agriculture has always led the nation in innovation. We should also lead the nation in how we protect what we’ve built. Developing a comprehensive Statewide Pest Prevention Plan is the first step.

Lindsey Carter is the executive director of the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association. She can be reached at lindseyl@cacasa.org.

In this edition…

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• Investigadores estudian el potencial del cultivo de agave
• California grazing sector threatened as goat herder wage soars to $240K
• California's pest prevention system needs an update
• Mechanical harvest research bolsters table olive prospects
• Overnight guests add key revenue stream for farms
• Advocacy in Action: Grazing, wild horses and the Endangered Species Act
• Smart sprayers slash farm labor and herbicide costs
• How will early blooms and light crop affect navel orangeworms?
• Finding her second act: Former dancer builds new life with U-pick raspberry farm
• Bountiful Finds: A curated collection of goods made by Farm Bureau members
• Now in season: You can grill just about anything
• The scenic route: Pit stops at California farms and ranches
• Grape expectations: Sweet flavor with healthy twist
• A life in motion: Avocado farmer helped revolutionize the modern skateboard
• Imagine this: Students tell stories about agriculture
• AI in agriculture: Balancing innovation and new risk
• Workforce training program seeks input from employers