California’s ongoing efforts to reduce harmful pesticide use are showing real results, according to new data released Sept. 2, 2025, by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). The latest Pesticide Use Report reveals that California used approximately 176 million pounds of pesticides in 2023, a 3% decrease from 2022 and the third consecutive year of declining usage.
Big picture: A decade of progress
California has dramatically reduced its use over the last decade of the most problematic pesticide categories. Highly regulated pesticides—including potential carcinogens, reproductive toxins, cholinesterase inhibitors, groundwater contaminants, toxic air contaminants, and fumigants—have declined between 22-81% since 2014.
The use of safer alternatives has surged. Biopesticides, considered lower risk than conventional pesticides, have increased usage by 46% over the decade. This shift may represent a variety of factors, such as changing consumer demands, regulatory limits on certain pesticide types, and shrinking farm acreage.
What changed in 2023
Several harmful pesticide categories saw significant decreases.
- 34% decrease in potential groundwater contaminants

- 13% decrease in potential reproductive toxins

- 9% decrease in toxic air contaminants
- 
6% decrease in potential carcinogens
- 
9% decrease in fumigants

- 5% increase in cholinesterase inhibitors, which can affect the nervous system
- 4% increase in biopesticides, which are considered safer than conventional pesticides
The top active ingredients (AIs) with the highest pounds applied were (in descending order):
- sulfur
- oils
- glyphosate
- metam-potatssium
- chloropicrin
The AIs with the highest cumulative acres treated were (in descending order):
- glyphosate
- oils
- sulfur
- amda-cyhalothrin
- chlorantraniliprole
The commodities of interest for 2023 were alfalfa, almond, cotton, orange, pistachio, processing tomato, rice, strawberry, table and raisin grape, tangerine, walnut, and wine grape. This represents 69% of the total amount of pesticides applied, and 73% of the cumulative acres treated.
Wine grapes, almonds, strawberries, table and raisin grapes, and processing tomatoes were treated with the most pounds of pesticides in 2023, however, almond and walnut saw the largest decrease in pounds applied, along with carrot, cannabis, and sweet potato.
Rice, pistachios, wine grapes, processing tomatoes, and uncultivated ag land saw the largest increase in pesticide pounds applied.
What’s driving these changes
“The continued trend of reduced pesticide use in California complements DPR’s long-term efforts to promote sustainable pest management,” said DPR Director Karen Morrison in a Sept. 2 announcement.
But the reasons behind these shifts are multifaceted.
Regulatory limits on certain pesticide types are clearly having an impact. California has some of the nation’s strictest pesticide regulations, and these rules are translating into real-world usage reductions. Market forces are also at play. Declining farm acreage and shifting consumer demand toward more sustainable products are influencing what farmers choose to spray on their crops.
California’s data advantage
California first began requiring pesticide use reporting in 1934, but the pesticide reporting program of today began in 1990 and is considered the most comprehensive in the nation. The state’s 55 county agricultural commissioners collect detailed usage data from farmers, pesticide applicators, and others required to report their usage.
This tracking system provides the data foundation that makes evidence-based policy decisions possible.
The overall trends are encouraging, but the data also highlights that progress isn’t uniform across all pesticide categories.
For farmers and agricultural businesses, these trends reflect both regulatory pressures and market opportunities. The increase in biopesticide use suggests a growing acceptance of these alternatives, while the continued declines in harmful chemicals indicate that sustainable pest management isn’t just an environmental imperative, but becoming standard practice.
The complete 2023 data is available through DPR’s Pesticide Use in California webpage, providing researchers, policymakers, and the public with detailed insights into how the state’s agricultural practices continue to evolve toward safer, more sustainable approaches to pest management.
Main image: Pesticide spray on cabbage.
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