California pesticide regulators are proposing new requirements for pesticide-treated seeds, setting up a fresh debate over how far the state should go in regulating seed coatings commonly used to protect crops during planting and early growth.
The Department of Pesticide Regulation announced Friday it has released a proposed rule to formally define pesticide-treated seeds, specify when those seeds are exempt from pesticide registration requirements and require monthly reporting on their use in California. The pesticides used to treat the seeds would have to be reviewed and registered by the department, but the treated seeds themselves would not have to be registered as separate pesticide products.
“This proposal strengthens the state’s ability to ensure that pesticide‑treated seeds used in California have been evaluated for their potential impacts on people and the environment,” said DPR Director Karen Morrison. “By clarifying how pesticide‑treated seeds are regulated and requiring reporting of their use, we can close existing data gaps and provide greater transparency for Californians and enhanced information to inform our evaluation of potential impacts.”
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The proposal would require reporting on the type and quantity of treated seed planted, as well as the pesticide products used to treat the seed. DPR said that information would give the department a clearer picture of how treated seeds are used across the state and help it evaluate potential impacts and strengthen protections if needed.
DPR says the rulemaking is designed to align California’s treatment of pesticide-treated seed with U.S. EPA’s treated-article exemption while adding state-specific conditions on the manufacture, import, sale and use of treated seeds. The public comment period runs through June 29.
The regulation follows a 2024 legal settlement with environmental groups that challenged DPR’s long-running treatment of coated seeds. The Natural Resources Defense Council argued DPR had allowed treated seeds to go unregulated for decades without going through the formal rulemaking process required under California law. The settlement required DPR to propose regulations addressing pesticide-treated seeds and finalize them within the following year.
The issue has drawn attention because treated seeds can be coated with systemic insecticides, including neonicotinoids, which environmental groups have linked to pollinator risks and water contamination. Growers and seed companies, however, have argued seed treatments are a targeted tool that can protect young plants and reduce the need for later pesticide applications.
DPR is proposing to apply the treated-articles exemption to pesticide-treated seeds, aligning with U.S. EPA’s general approach while adding California-specific conditions, including DPR registration for the pesticide products used on the seed and monthly use reporting.
Correction: A previous version of this article suggested the proposal would put California on a different path than the federal government in terms of the exemption.
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