Sustainable Pest Management
The End of Pesticide Reliance: How Ecological Farming Can Cure the Root Cause of Pests
Ecological farming addresses the root cause of pest outbreaks. Agroecological practices like cover cropping, intercropping, hedgerows, etc., reinstate ecological networks and support pest predators that naturally control pest populations. Cultivating biodiversity can put an end to any perceived need for pesticides.
The ubiquitous application of pesticides in California, equating to over 180 million pounds per year, contributes to detrimental health outcomes, climate change intensity, and contaminates the air, water and soil. As an active member of the Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) Work Group, PAN contributed to the development of the 2023 SPM Roadmap, in collaboration with the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), CA Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), and the CA Department of Food and Agriculture to serve as a guide for pest management in the state. To learn more, you can read the full SPM Roadmap here, and see how it fits into DPR’s overall strategic plan here.
The roadmap contains two goals we seek to achieve by 2050:
- California has eliminated the use of Priority Pesticides by transitioning to sustainable pest management practices
- Sustainable pest management has been adopted as the de facto pest management system in California.
To realize these collective goals, PAN is actively working to support the state’s adoption of SPM through our coalition with a particular focus on supporting small-scale, BIPOC ecological farmers to access state institutional markets (state prisons, hospitals, etc.) through state-based incentives, defining on-farm SPM compliance, and identifying key resources for agroecological practitioners. Our SPM coalition is composed of food hubs, policy advocates, grassroots organizations, scientists, and state agency staff.
Read more below about our SPM work in California and see news and resources related to sustainable pest management. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest updates directly in your inbox!
Latest News
California Legislation & Policy Brief
As California’s 2025-2026 legislative session draws to a close we’re excited to update you on the
California Policy: Recap & Updates
Our latest review of California policy with January 2026 marking the latter half of the 2025-2026
Certified Organic is Not the Only Path to Toxic-Free Food
One of the hardest parts about championing a future that doesn’t rely on pesticides is the
Resources
Using the California People and Pesticides Explorer
The California People and Pesticides Explorer is a one-of-a-kind tool that makes it easier to view, map, and download California’s
Pesticide Trends in a Changing Climate
Margaret Reeves gave the keynote address to the 19th annual (virtual) Pesticides and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Conference, presenting “Pesticides
A Just Transition to A Food System for All
Just Transition is a framework that emerged in the 1980s through collaboration between the labor movement and environmental activists. It
Take Action
Let’s create a healthy food system, together.