Pesticide Use Rises 2% in California

State agricultural pesticide use reached 179 million pounds in 2024, even as use of several high-risk substances fell sharply over the past decade.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Organic Food

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California's total pesticide use rose 2% to 179 million pounds in 2024 compared with 2023, and cumulative treated acreage grew 4% to 102 million acres. Applications of several higher-risk substance categories have declined substantially over the past ten years.

Why it matters

Applications of groundwater contaminants, cholinesterase inhibitors and reproductive toxins are all down over the past decade, shifting the composition of pesticide use even as total volume fluctuates. Overall volume and acreage are still tracked closely by state regulators.

California's reporting program, established in 1990, logged 179 million pounds of pesticides applied in 2024, a 2% rise over 2023 and 102 million cumulative treated acres. Over the past decade, applications of groundwater contaminants fell 78% and carcinogen applications fell 28%, though the source does not break out how much of the single-year increase reflects recovery from 2023 flooding.

The players

California Department of Pesticide Regulation

The state agency that compiles and publishes California's pesticide use data and regulates the sale and use of pesticides statewide.

The details

The increase followed severe flooding in 2023 that delayed or prevented planting across thousands of acres, according to the Department of Pesticide Regulation's annual report. Cumulative treated acreage exceeds total planted land because many fields receive multiple applications in a single year.

1990: California established its pesticide use reporting program.
2023: Severe flooding delayed or prevented planting across thousands of acres.
2024: Pesticide use rose 2% to 179 million pounds.
November 12, 2026: The Department of Pesticide Regulation released its Annual Pesticide Use Report.

Industry Context

California's reporting program, established in 1990, has tracked pesticide use for decades and now shows a 78% decline in groundwater contaminant applications over the past ten years. The 2024 single-year rise of 2% departs from that longer downward trend in higher-risk categories.

Residents in the San Joaquin Valley, where Fresno, Kern, Tulare, San Joaquin and Monterey counties account for much of the state's use, are most directly exposed to changes in application patterns. Shoppers of organic produce may see the trend as a reason to compare labels when choosing fresh food.

The takeaway

Checking whether produce is certified organic, or buying from growers who publish application details, is one practical way to reduce exposure to pesticide residues. Lower-risk categories are declining, but total volume is still rising, so the full picture depends on what is applied.