Web, GIS

Case Study: CalAgPermits

Challenge

Create the first statewide pesticide permitting and use reporting system implementation in the country.

Client

CACASA

Users

20,000 +

Solution

Created for the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA), CalAgPermits combines a comprehensive online portal for developing, issuing, modifying, and renewing permits with a public portal for electronic submittal of pesticide use reports. The program was deployed in 2010 and now has over 30,000 registered users including county staff, growers, and pesticide applicators.

Permitting

The permitting module allows county staff to create restricted materials permits that spell out the products, commodities, and conditions for pesticide applications. Dynamic map editing tools available on the web portal create detailed maps of field locations as well as sensitive areas and buffer zones, proving clear documentation to the grower and any pesticide applicators of any risks or dangers associated with the cultivated areas. Permits can also be developed for general use (landscape gardeners, right-of-way maintenance, etc) and for structural applications. For users of non-restricted materials who still need to report all pesticide use, a simplified operator identification is produced to enable electronic reporting.

CalAgPermits use a statewide compilation of up-to-date NAIP imagery

The map development features in CalAgPermits use a statewide compilation of up-to-date NAIP imagery (National Agriculture Imagery Program), specifically developed in a California map projection for best performance. When developing permit maps, the county staff can add and edit field boundary polygons, sensitive populations and habitats, buffer zones calculated on the fly, and map annotations. County-specific GIS data can be added, and map symbology can be saved as preferences within the application. All of the map setup information is saved so maps are immediately available for update during permit renewals.

Pesticide applicators in California (growers, pest control businesses, pilots, and licensed individuals) can report pesticide use via a simple online form that provides extensive validation of pesticide applications against permit and label data. For large volume applicators, CalAgPermits integrates with numerous third party software vendors to allow automated reporting. Since its initial release, CalAgPermits has reduced paper reporting by over 70% and has resulted in huge improvements in data quality. Growers, pest control businesses, dealers, and advisors can access permit data and user report data online, simplifying communications and improving both the safety and efficacy of pesticide use in the State.

CalAgPermits offers a wide range of query and export tools to analyze and mine the vast datastore of pesticide permitting and use reporting information. Users can create and save useful queries, and can export detailed datasets to Microsoft Excel for further analysis and reporting. Many of the query functions are available through the online mapping interface, where analysts can select an area of interest and view permits, sites, products, crops, and use reports within that spatial context.

The numbers

CalAg Permits

CalAg Permits 2017

Million PURs submitted to DPR