A new report from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation shows that the use of pesticides for agriculture is dropping statewide and in the Tri-Counties.
The agency just released the numbers for statewide pesticide use for 2023.
Ventura County went from 6.25 million pounds of pesticides to around 6.1 million pounds. Santa Barbara County growers went from around 6 million pounds to just under 5.9 million pounds used.
San Luis Obispo County also showed a drop in pesticide use, down from 2.67 to 2.64 million pounds.
Statewide, commercial agricultural pesticide use dropped 3% from 2022 to 2023. Ventura County ranked 9th among California's counties for total use, with Santa Barbara County 10th and San Luis Obispo County 18th.
