Sonoma County Winegrape Pest and Disease Control District Coalition
What is a Pest & Disease Control District ?
A Pest and Disease Control District is a commodity-specific (Wine Grapes, Table Grapes, Citrus, Cotton, etc) ‘Special District’ run by and for stakeholders in that specific crop (Growers), legally recognized and supported, prepared and empowered for rapid response, monitoring, eradicating pests and/or diseases affecting that specific crop.
There are currently 18 Pest and Disease Control Districts in operation in the state of California. The longest running Pest Control District was the Fillmore Piru Citrus PCD, originally established in 1922.
Our Coalition will continue accepting petitions until we reach our quota. We appreciate your support and participation!
Why:
Pest Control Districts (PCDs) are formed when a commodity group recognizes that certain pest threats exist which will cause economic loss to the industry. State and Federal programs are beneficial, but often bogged down in bureaucracy, an response to immediate threats is sluggish at best .
All Growers understand the importance of proactivity in reducing threats from exotic pests, and ability for rapid response gives us the absolute best chance of control and eradication. PCD’s grant local stakeholders exactly these tools.
To see the type of activities conducted by Napa County’s 20+ year Winegrape PDCD please review their 2019/2020 Annual report / Plan below;
When:
Now. The formation phase is underway, many petitions have been returned, but now is the time for you to be heard, join the conversation, and help spread the word.
How:
A coalition of growers has been hard at work navigating the myriad steps involved in outreach, education, connecting with regional, county and state level lawmakers, assessors, counsel, and other Pest Control Districts throughout California. The establishment and running of a Pest Control District is 100% stakeholder (grower) driven. A link to the UC IPM paper fully describing the work of a PCD is below.
This Pest Control District would be funded by an assessment on each acre of wine grapes growing in Sonoma County. Looking to mirror the trapping and research efforts in wine growing regions elsewhere in the State, our math is showing us that we can get this started at $5 per acre, and once established there may be ample opportunity to collaborate with other existing PCD’s in the North Coast. If you are interested in participating in the formation of this district, send us an email: sonomacountypcd@gmail.com
59,000+
Acres of Sonoma County Winegrapes
55,000+
Sonoma County Residents Employed by the Wine Industry
$13.6B+
Sonoma County Wine Industry Economic Impact
Napa County Winegrape Pest and Disease Control District has been successfully supporting trapping, mapping, research, education, and public awareness about wine grape pests since 2002
Join us and sign the Petition to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors:
What will a Sonoma County WINE GRAPE Pest and Disease Control District mean to us?
Hear more from our community.
News and Events
Press Release Insight and Opinion: Creating a Pest Control District in Sonoma County by Cindy Kron. PhD Nov 8, 2022 California’s climate and soil creates a very special place for agriculture. With over 400 commodities, California is responsible for producing more than 33 percent of the vegetables and 75 percent of the fruits and nuts in…
Yet another reason for a Pest Control District
Subject: Invasive pest found in Napa County The following information will be announced by the County Public Information Officer on May 20. On May 12, 2022, a county pest detection trapper discovered a single adult Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer (Harrisina metallica) in a trap located in Pope Valley near Dollarhide Road. The Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer (WGLS) is…
Controlling Risks through Collaborative Pest Management
Sonoma County Pest Control District Coalition 