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New avian pest control courses offered

May 2023

DPR funds educational resources to increase the adoption of reduced-risk, sustainable pest management practices for farmers

As part of DPR’s goal to accelerate the transition to safer, more sustainable pest management and fulfill its mission to foster reduced-risk pest management, DPR has funded a project with Wild Farm Alliance (WFA) to provide educational resources for farmers to encourage the use of beneficial birds for pest control. When beneficial birds are supported, they can sustainably reduce pest insects and rodents that cause crop damage.

Wild Farm Alliance created two free Continuing Education Courses about supporting avian pest control. The courses are online and can be taken any time throughout the year. These courses are approved for CE credit through DPR.

Habitat on Farms Support Avian Pest Control Services (4 CE Units)

Participants will learn about research that shows the benefits of installing habitat in and around farms to attract beneficial birds that provide valuable pest control services.

Nest Boxes and Perches on Farms Support Avian Pest Control Services (3 CE Units)

Participants will learn about the research showing the benefits to the farm of installing Western Bluebird and other songbird nest boxes, Barn Owl and American Kestrel boxes, and songbird and raptor perches to gain these birds' valuable pest control services.

DPR’s Integrated Pest Management Branch is supporting the use of sustainable pest management strategies in our state in a variety of ways, including funding these educational courses on beneficial birds for Pest Control Advisors and pesticide applicator license and certificate holders.

Questions? Contact Us:

Questions?

Please contact the Department of Pesticide Regulation’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Branch by emailing Catherine Bilheimer at catherine.bilheimer@cdpr.ca.gov. For additional information about the IPM Branch, please visit DPR’s website.

Who We Are

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation protects human health and the environment by fostering safer and sustainable pest management practices and operating a robust regulatory system to monitor and manage the sale and use of pesticides across the state. DPR’s work includes registering all pesticides sold or used in California, conducting scientific evaluation of pesticides to assess and mitigate potential harm to human health or the environment, investing in innovative research to encourage the development and adoption of integrated pest management tools and practices, monitoring for pesticides in the air and water, conducting outreach to ensure pesticide workers, farmworkers and local communities have access to safety information, and enforcing pesticide regulations in coordination with 55 County Agricultural Commissioners and their 500 field inspectors.