Title
Receive the Pesticide Notification Near Schools Pilot Project Report.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Receive the Pesticide Notification Near Schools Pilot Project Report.
SUMMARY:
In 2016, the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner's Office launched a pilot project to provide parents, students, teachers, school employees, and the community with information about fumigant use on farmland within a quarter of a mile of three (3) schools in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD). The three (3) pilot project school communities included: Ohlone Elementary, Pajaro Middle School, and Hall District Elementary. The project consisted of stakeholder meetings, focus groups, and the FarmingSafelyNearSchools.com website. A key feature of the website was the ability to register to receive notifications of scheduled fumigations within a quarter of a mile of the three (3) pilot project schools.
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) provided an initial grant of $75,000 to start the project. In 2017, our office applied for and received a second grant for a total of $94,240. The additional funding allowed for the expansion of the pilot project through the launch of the website, expansion of the notification system into North Monterey County Unified School District (NMCUSD), and continued and expanded outreach efforts. The grant funding ended June 30, 2020. The Agricultural Commissioner's office contributed an additional $100,000 in-kind support of the project over the duration of the project. Since the website is constructed, we will keep the site active and continue to send the text and email notifications to the individuals that have registered.
In the spring of 2018, the FarmingSafelyNearSchools.com website was launched as a communications network. The site provides relevant information including health facts, pesticide and fumigation regulations, maps of schools and their proximity to farms...
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