The Pesticide Linkage Service is a research-focused tool that enables scientists to conduct precise, location-based analyses of agricultural pesticide use across California.
Developed and operated by Tracking California, the service is designed to meet the needs of researchers seeking high-quality, geographically resolved pesticide use data.
Integrating data from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s Pesticide Use Reports (PUR), the Pesticide Linkage Service supports environmental epidemiology, exposure assessment, and spatial analysis by linking pesticide application data to nearby land uses, communities, and specific populations.
Why Use the Pesticide Linkage Service?
Comprehensive Data Coverage
Access over 80 million pesticide use records, with data available from 1990 to the present.
Location and Time-Specific Exposure Estimates
Associate agricultural pesticide use with specific coordinates, addresses, or places of interest using customizable distance buffers and time windows.
Enhanced Geographic Precision
By integrating land use survey data from the California Department of Water Resources, the service improves spatial accuracy and reduces exposure misclassification.
Scientifically Grounded Methods
Operated by a team with expertise in environmental epidemiology, spatial analysis, and statistics the service is tailored to support data-driven decisions and peer-reviewed research.
Customizable and Collaborative
Offered on a fee-for-service basis, the service is flexible and consultative, and can accommodate your study design, data needs, and funding constraints.
Research Applications
The Pesticide Linkage Service has supported a range of studies in environmental health and epidemiology. Examples include:
Temporal trends of agricultural organophosphate pesticide use in California and proximity to pregnant people in 2021 BMC Public Health, 2025
Environmental Health Tracking Improves Pesticide Use Data to Enable Research and Inform Public Health Actions in California Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 2017
Residential agricultural pesticide exposures and risks of selected birth defects among offspring in the San Joaquin Valley of California Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology, 2016
Maternal residence near agricultural pesticide applications and autism spectrum disorders among children in the California Central Valley Environmental Health Perspectives, 2007
How to Get Started
Interested in using the Pesticide Linkage Service for your work?
Contact us at info@trackingcalifornia.org
Our team will work with you to determine whether the service fits your research goals and provide an estimate of the time and funding required.