Environmental Groups Reach Settlement on Pesticide-Treated Seeds with California Agency
ALAMEDA COUNTY, CA – A group of environmental organizations informed a California state court today that they had reached an agreement with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to propose regulations addressing pesticide-treated seeds.
DPR illegally adopted and maintained a policy that exempted crop seeds coated with pesticides – commonly referred to as “treated seeds” – from pesticide regulations, the groups said in a 2023 lawsuit that was resolved in the agreement announced today
Plaintiff groups include NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), Californians for Pesticide Reform, the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth, and Pesticide Action Network North America.
“California often leads the nation in protecting people and the environment from toxins,” said Dan Raichel, director of the Pollinators & Pesticides Team at NRDC, “so it’s about time that it does the same with pesticide-coated seeds planted across hundreds of thousands of acres statewide. This settlement is a major step in steering the state toward a healthier future, and we look forward to continuing to engage with DPR on this crucial issue.”
In the agreement DPR agreed to propose regulations addressing pesticide-treated seeds by February 2, 2026, and to finalize these regulations within the following year. The regulations will determine DPR’s authority to assess and address the environmental and human health harms caused by pesticide seed treatments; decide whether treated seeds used, delivered, or sold in California must be treated only by DPR-registered pesticides; and refine the process of reporting the sale and use of pesticide-treated seeds in California, in collaboration with the state’s Department of Food and Agriculture.
“Pesticides don’t just stay on seeds. They end up contaminating soils, waterways and wildlife,” said Jonathan Evans, environmental health legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Treated seeds are one of the biggest sources of pesticides and officials need to step in to better protect California residents, wildlife and the environment.”
Neonicotinoids, or “neonics,” are neurotoxic pesticides and commonly used as seed treatments. As the most widely used class of insecticides, and among the most devastating pesticides since DDT, neonics also threaten human health. Research has found that neonic-treated seeds may deliver up to 512,000 pounds of neonics annually across 4 million California acres. They have been detected in the bodies of over 95% of pregnant women in nationwide testing, a particularly concerning statistic as prenatal exposure is linked with developmental and reproductive harms.
“It’s about time!” said Margaret Reeves, a senior scientist at Pesticide Action Network North America. “We are pleased that DPR finally made the right decision on this, especially given the fact that internationally many countries already report seed treatment use of pesticides while the U.S. does not. May California once again lead the rest of the country as we catch up with other countries on this important use of pesticides and route of pesticide exposure.”
Neonics are also pervasive and ecologically destructive pollutants. They are a leading cause of bee and other pollinator population declines and contribute to bird losses. They also destabilize aquatic ecosystems, are linked with birth defects in species like white-tailed deer, and decimate the soil health.
“With this court victory,” said Angel Garcia, co-director of Californians for Pesticide Reform, “We are hopeful that California will finally regulate pesticides used as seed treatments just like any other pesticide and will close the loophole that allows unregistered pesticides to be used in our state. These pesticides have the greatest impact on the people and environment of California’s farm working communities, who already suffer the greatest pollution burden.”
“We are beyond pleased to have such a strong settlement with DPR,” said Hallie Templeton, Legal Director for Friends of the Earth. “Not only does our agreement bind the agency to finally propose regulations on pesticide treated seeds in the state, but it also forces a swift timeline for final action. We remain focused on the fight to properly regulate pesticides in food production and look forward to working with DPR on this shared goal.”
Californians for Pesticide Reform is a diverse, statewide coalition of 200+ member groups working to strengthen pesticide policies in California to protect public health and the environment. Member groups include public and children’s health advocates, clean air and water groups, health practitioners, environmental justice groups, labor, education, farmers and sustainable agriculture advocates from across the state.
Communications contact: Brittany Miller, [email protected]