Environmentalists, rejoice! Pesticide use is way down statewide due to the dry weather we have been experiencing, according to State officials. The most recent year for available figures is 2007, from which we can estimate even further reductions in usage for 2008.
In San Joaquin County, for example, the annual measure of pesticide use has dropped to nine million pounds, down a million pounds from the previous year. Statewide, a decline of 8.4 percent occurred, dropping the usage total a full 16 million pounds to 172 million pounds in total for 2007.
State officials site a dry climate as the cause for cutbacks in pesticide distribution, as such weather patterns decrease the need for certain herbicides and fungicides. Although representatives from the State's agriculture department have been promoting the use of lower-risk techniques for pest and fungal control in the interest of public health and the environment, activists are still pushing for a decline in the use of fumigants. As of this moment, there is no available data on fumigant usage totals.