Our Pajaro Valley Community

Driscoll's has called the Pajaro Valley home since 1904. It's where we live, work, and raise our children. We partner with independent family growers in the Watsonville area, many of whom are farming into their second and third generations. When something threatens the health of this community, it threatens people we know by name.

When we heard concerns that pesticide use on local farms may be connected to childhood cancer rates in our county, we wanted answers just as much as you do.

What We Know, and What We Still Don't

In June 2026, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency released updated data on childhood cancer rates across the county. It found that childhood cancer cases in South County —which includes the Pajaro Valley, where our berries are grown —were consistent with the statewide average, with no statistically significant increase identified.

That data is meaningful, and it matters to families here. However, the same county data shows a statistically significant increase in childhood cancer among non-Hispanic White children in North County over the past decade—a finding that remains unexplained. We think that question deserves real answers, and we support continued, independent public health research into it.

A single data release doesn’t resolve a concern this serious, and it also doesn’t establish a link between farming practices and childhood cancer. Pajaro Valley families deserve the full picture.

How We Approach Pesticide Use

Every pesticide used on the farms that grow our berries is regulated by the U.S. EPA and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and monitored and enforced by County Agricultural Commissioner's offices. Our independent growers operate under Integrated Pest Management programs and use a variety of tools to protect their crops. Whether that means biological controls, cultural practices, or chemical pesticides, you can be assured the process is thoughtful, driven by scientific rigor, and safe for farm workers, our neighbors, and your family.

We make sure to check our work, too. Our compliance program is thorough and requires our independent growers to share how and when they use chemical pesticides so our team can record, review, and manage those crops. Our compliance team regularly meets with and educates our independent growers, tours their fields, and makes sure that they complete annual independent third-party food safety audits.

We know that "it's legally compliant" isn't the same as "it's put every parent's mind at ease.” We’re proud of the long-standing relationship we have with the Pajaro Valley community and the steps we’ve taken over the years to be better neighbors. We’re continuing to listen to what this community, including farmworker families and advocacy groups, is asking for, and we're taking a hard look at what more we can do, including how we work with growers on practices near schools and residential areas.

This Isn't a One-Time Statement

We don't expect one page to settle a concern this deep. We're committed to staying in this conversation with county health officials, with community advocates, with the farmworkers who make this industry possible, and with families who want a straight answer about their children’s safety.

If you're part of this community and have questions or concerns, we want to hear them directly. Reach out to us and you’ll get a real response from a real person.

We've grown berries here since 1904. We intend to keep earning the trust of our community and customers.