December 1, 2025
The California Pepper Commission is soliciting research proposals from researchers for funding during our 2026
funding year. As background, the Pepper Commission is a research-only commission, charged with funding
research to solve problems of the California pepper industry. Research funding is based on assessments growers
and handlers pay to the commission.

Research priorities change from year to year which will help our growers to continue to grow peppers profitably in
California. Research dealing with control of insects, weeds, and diseases has been the major focus of our funding,
and we expect that to continue. Areas of interest that have been discussed recently in our latest commission
meeting are topics such as:

Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus – Statewide
Verticillium Wilt – Santa Clara Valley
Beet Curly Top Virus – San Joaquin Valley and Oxnard Plain
Pepper Weevil – Oxnard Plain
Aphid Control – Statewide (projects that will help with the removal of Imidacloprids)
Psyllid Control – Oxnard Plain
Mechanical Harvesting (dislodging peppers from plant – Varieties)- Statewide
Bacterial Leaf Spot Tolerance – Coachella
Thrip Control (monitoring for new strains of thrips that could spread virus) – Statewide
Powery Mildew Control/Resistance
Drone Applications
Broomrape – Chemical/Label Updates
Weed Control
Artificial Intelligence (AI)

In addition, research proposals involving the efficiency of water and fertilizer use will be considered.

The proposals will be evaluated by the members of the California Pepper Improvement Foundation, which serves
in an advisory role to the Pepper Commission, and recommendations for funding will be presented to the
Commission. In order to allow time for consideration, please send or email (nathan@tabcomp.com) your
proposals to the CPC office by Wednesday, January 31st. Your proposals do not have to be lengthy, usually two
pages is sufficient.

If you have any questions, please contact Nathan Sano at nathan@tabcomp.com.

Thank you,

Regards,
Benito Juarez
Research Chairman, California Pepper Commission