2025 CDFA Grant for PCAs
Easy Participation
Are you a PCA who walks alfalfa, almond, grape, lettuce, pistachio, or tomato?
Contribute to the PCA profession and earn $2,000.
Enroll on Crop Steward“PCAs are our boots-on-the-ground partners and have first-hand experience with the multitude of pressures that our producers face every day. The information they will gather through this pilot study will provide a clear analysis of the pests our producers are addressing. This information is essential for understanding the current state of pest management and the impacts of any future changes.”
Get 1.0 of free DPR CE Credit
2025 Participation Data
What’s New for 2025?
Good news! The CDFA Grant to PCAs continues in the 2025 crop season, giving you another opportunity to contribute and to earn $2,000.
If you were a participant in our 2024 cropping season, you can apply again!
There are two major updates –
1. Your participation will be streamlined and easy in Crop Steward.
2. Four PCA interns will help spread the word and support PCA participants.
Crop Steward
The Crop Steward app is designed to make data collection as seamless and user-friendly as possible.
The app allows PCAs to:
· Log Field Observations Quickly: The interface is intuitive, enabling users to input observations with minimal disruption to their workflow.
· Record Decision-Making Processes: Capture why specific pest management decisions were made, offering valuable insights for industry-wide learning.
· Generate Reports Easily: The app compiles data into easy-to-read reports, helping PCAs track patterns and trends over time.
- Enroll in the CDFA Grant: The click of one button designates one of your blocks as anonymously enrolled in the grant. Scout all season and you’ll get $2,000!
By using Crop Steward, PCAs can contribute meaningful, anonymized, data without adding more work!
PCA Support Interns
CAPCA has hired four talented interns from California agricultural colleges to:
- Assist PCAs with using Crop Steward and understanding grant requirements.
- Provide in-field technical support.
- Get the opportunity to ride-along with the best PCAs.
Contact your PCA Intern today!
Here are more details:
Grant Award: CDFA has granted CAPCA funds to document the IPM and SPM practices that PCAs implement in the field.
When: Right now. Enroll at www.CropSteward.com
Why: It’s imperative to highlight the meticulous consideration PCAs give to both environmental and economic factors when deciding on pest management.
Benefit Distribution: A significant portion of the grant will directly benefit participating PCAs and their associated growers.
- Eligible PCAs can earn a $2,000 stipend by fulfilling study criteria, injecting up to $400K into the PCA community.
- There are additional incentives available for PCAs and their growers.
Data Collection: PCAs will register a single field location within a custom scouting app called Crop Steward. Comprehensive note-taking will allow us to analyze and detail their IPM approaches. Crop Steward is the main way for PCAs to participate and complete the grant requirements.
Scope: To refine our study and enhance its reliability, we’re focusing on almond, alfalfa, pistachios, grapes, lettuce, and tomatoes. The study takes place in the 2025 growing season. Participating PCAs will be given detailed information by contacting their intern.
Support: CAPCA has hired four student interns who are passionate about becoming PCAs. These ambitious students are assigned a geographic territory where they will be responsible for raising awareness of the grant, answering PCA’s questions, and supporting the Crop Steward scouting app. Ideally, they will also be exposed to the latest IPM approaches besides the best PCAs in the industry.
Collaborative Effort: This initiative is a joint effort between UC IPM, American Pistachio Growers, California Fresh Fruit Association, California Tomato Growers, CDFA, and CAPCA.