Office of Pest Management - Restructuring

In 2008, the Legislature established the Office of Pest Management (Office) in the Arizona Department of Administration and directed the Auditor General to recommend an appropriate option for the Office’s “reorganization and restructuring.” Auditors evaluated four options for restructuring the Office, and considering the Office’s purpose, regulatory functions, the need for accountability and responsiveness to the public and the regulated community, and the potential for efficiency gains, consolidation within the Arizona Department of Agriculture (Agriculture) appears to be the best option. The report also presents options for placing the Office within Agriculture, including creating a new, comprehensive pesticides program or combining the Office’s functions with similar functions in existing agriculture programs.