Agriculture, Weights & Measures

If you've ever been to a farmers’ market, checked out at a grocery store, pumped gas, or wondered if your produce was organic, then you've benefitted from AWM. 

As part of the County’s Land Use & Environment Group, we're here to serve you.

What AWM does for you: 

• Ensures pesticides are used safely and investigates related illness.
• Prevents the spread of pests that harm agriculture and the environment. 
• Promotes the use of natural pest controls. 
• Verifies produce that is marked as organic.
• Ensures vendors at farmers' markets grow what they sell.  
• Verifies that commercial weighing and measuring devices and price scanners are accurate. 
• Protects people from injury and disease caused by wildlife.   
  
  

Announcements

• CDFA California Animal Response Emergency Support (CARES) releases Multi-Hazard Farm-Ranch Emergency Plan Guide to help farmers and ranchers prepare in case of disasters.

• 2024 San Diego County Crop Report Now Available
  • The 2024 San Diego County Crop Statistics & Annual Report is now available! The Crop Report highlights San Diego’s $1.67 billion agricultural industry, including top crops, harvested acreage, price values, yields, and market trends in the previous calendar year. 
  • Learn more and read the full 2024 Crop Report here! 

• Cotton Seed Bug (CSB) and Thrips Parvispinus
  • Two new invasive pests have been found in San Diego County Nurseries: Cotton Seed Bug (CSB) and Thrips Parvispinus. Both pests are A-rated, meaning they are of known economic or environmental detriment. Learn more and help keep these pests from spreading by reading the fact sheets linked below:
    
    
    • Cotton Seed Bug Technical Bulletin (USDA)
    • Cotton Seed Bug Pest Alert (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)
    • Thrips Parvispinus (PennState Extension)
    • Thrips Parvispinus Distribution Update (UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research & Education Center) 
  • For more questions and info, please contact AWM's Pest Exclusion Division at PHPP.AWM@sdcounty.ca.gov or (760) 752-4700.

• 2026 Apiary Registration
  • All beekeepers in the state of California must register their honey bee colonies by January 1, 2026,  through the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) BeeWhere website.
  • While apiary registration fees have not been collected since 2022, collection of these fees will resume in 2026. Learn more about 2026 Apiary Registration updates in this CDFA flyer and on AWM's Apiary Program page. 

• New World Screwworm (NWS)
  • New World Screwworm (NWS) is a fly whose larvae feed on the living tissue of animals, including livestock, pets, wildlife, and even people. 
  • The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is conducting outreach after recent detections in Oaxaca, Mexico, and encourages the public to stay alert and report any maggots in a wound or animals with draining, foul-smelling sores to CDFA's Sick Animal Hotline at (866) 922-BIRD (2473).

• Free Pesticide Container Recycling Event: Saturday, November 8, 2025
  • AWM's Pesticide Regulation Program invites growers, pest control businesses, and any public agencies to recycle any pesticide containers at an upcoming recycling event on Saturday, November 8, at the San Marcos EDCO Recycling Center.
  • Learn more and fill out the required registration form (en español) prior to the event. 

• Citrus Quarantine in Southern Orange and Northern San Diego Counties (September 2025)
  • The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has confirmed one detection of HLB in one citrus tree on a residential property in the San Clemente area of Orange County on August 27. 
  • The new quarantine area spans from southern Orange County to northern San Diego County, in the San Onofre and Agra areas, including the northwest part of Camp Pendleton.
    
    
    • Call the CDFA hotline at (800) 491-1899 to report suspicious pests or HLB disease symptoms.
    • View this interactive quarantine boundaries map.
    • Visit CitrusInsider.org to learn more.

• DPR Updates SprayDays California with New Features to Expand Usability
  • California’s first-in-the-nation pesticide notification system responds to community feedback, improving accessibility for rural and unincorporated areas. Read the full news release. 

• Compliance Agreement for Growers who Export Nursery Products to Canada or Mexico
  
  
• Nursery License Renewal Late Fees

Private Applicator Certification Exam: Schedule Online

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