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Displaying 61 to 80 of 649
APHIS Removes the Federal Domestic Quarantine for Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) and Interstate Movement Restrictions
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Dec 3, 2021
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USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
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Effective December 17, 2021, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is removing the light brown apple moth (LBAM), Epiphyas postvittana, quarantine in California and Hawaii. APHIS is reclassifying LBAM as a non-quarantine pest, removing all areas under quarantine, and removing movement restrictions on LBAM host material.
When APHIS first confirmed detections of LBAM in the United States in 2007, the best science available indicated that this moth would be a pest of economic significance. In response, APHIS and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) developed an eradication program. Over time, however, it became clear that the moth’s impact was not as significant as expected.
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APHIS Reopens Comment Period on Amendments to Pale Cyst Nematode Regulations
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Jun 5, 2020
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USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has again reopened the comment period on the protocols for regulating and deregulating pale cyst nematode (PCN)-infested and associated areas. APHIS initially accepted comments on the protocols March 1, 2019, and again on June 26, 2019 for 30 days. APHIS is providing the public with an additional opportunity to comment on the science supporting the protocols, including the sources of the methods informing their content. In an effort to give all interested parties ample opportunities to comment, we are reopening the comment period for 30 days beginning June 5, 2020 and ending July 6, 2020. Members of the public are encouraged to participate in the development of these protocols by submitting comments starting on the day of publication until July 6, 2020 at: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/APHIS-2018-0041.
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APHIS Seeks Feedback on List of Animal and Plant Pest Disease Threats
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Aug 6, 2020
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USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is seeking feedback on its proposed list of pests and diseases of concern that are likely to pose a high risk to U.S. agricultural and natural resources. APHIS will seek comments on a rolling basis, and there is no deadline for submission.
Section 12203 of the 2018 Farm Bill requires pest- and disease-planning activities that mirror the extensive planning efforts APHIS already performs. Specifically, it requires APHIS to develop a uniform list of pests and diseases that represent the gravest threat to the United States and to develop comprehensive response plans to ensure Federal and State governments are prepared to respond to them.
See Animal and Plant Diseases and Pests of Concern for more information. The agency will review comments from the public about the list, including suggestions of pests or diseases that should be added or removed. In providing comments, individuals should keep in mind that the Farm Bill definition of a pest or disease of concern limits this list to those that are “likely to pose a significant risk to the food and agricultural critical infrastructure sector” and is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possible pests or diseases. Comments may be submitted to APHISPestDiseaseList@usda.gov.
View related resource: APHIS Programs Authorized by the Farm Bill
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APHIS Through the 1970s: Continuing the Visual History through 50 Years of APHIS - A Story Map by USDA
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Mar 11, 2022
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USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
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In 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) celebrates 50 years of serving the public. While a lot has changed in 50 years, our key mission remains protecting American agriculture and natural resources. To celebrate, we are looking back through our history and posting decade-by-decade timelines.
See also: APHIS Interactive Maps to explore plant and animal health or wildlife damage management data
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APHIS Updates the Citrus Black Spot (Phyllosticta citricarpa) Quarantine Area in Florida
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Aug 17, 2021
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USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
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Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is adding 37 sections in Charlotte County, 17 sections in Collier County, 45 sections in Glades County, 68 sections in Hendry County, and 28 sections in Lee County, to the citrus black spot (CBS) quarantine area in Florida. We are taking this action because of confirmed detections of P. citricarpa (formerly known as Guignardia citricarpa), the causal agent of CBS, during annual surveys conducted during the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons by APHIS, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry (DPI). Federal Order DA-2012-09 outlines these measures and restrictions and parallels DPI’s state-interior quarantine and intrastate movement requirements.
In 2010, CBS was first identified in the Collier and Hendry Counties of Florida. Symptoms of CBS are most evident on mature fruit, with little to no symptoms on leaves. Fresh citrus fruit moved interstate from the CBS quarantine areas must be processed using APHIS-approved methods and packed in commercial citrus packinghouses operating under a compliance agreement with APHIS. APHIS prohibits the movement of any other citrus plant parts outside the quarantine area. The APHIS website contains a description of all the current CBS quarantine areas, Federal Orders, and APHIS-approved packinghouse procedures.
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APHIS Updates the Golden Nematode (Globodera rostochiensis) Regulated Area in Suffolk and Nassau Counties in New York
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Aug 24, 2021
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USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
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Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is removing 45,562.067 acres from the golden nematode (GN) regulated area in Suffolk County, New York and refining the global positioning system (GPS) points for the descriptions of the regulated area in the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York. APHIS is removing these areas based on survey results and other criteria in the "Canada and United States Guidelines on Surveillance and Phytosanitary Actions for the Potato Cyst Nematodes, Globodera rostochiensis and Globodera pallida”.
Since 2010, APHIS, working closely with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYS AGM), has removed 1,186,693.79 acres from the GN-regulated area in New York. APHIS and NYS AGM have an active control and mitigation program in place to prevent GN from spreading from the remaining 101,955.27 acres, including 5,945 GN-infested acres in eight New York counties. The specific GN-regulated areas are on the APHIS website.
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APHIS' Plant Protection and Quarantine 2018 Annual Report: Helping U.S. Agriculture Thrive -- Across the County and Around the World [PDF, 1.2 MB]
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April 2019
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USDA. APHIS. Plant Protection and Quarantine.
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USDA's Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) continuously takes steps to enhance our ability to exclude, control, and eradicate pests and increase the safety of agricultural trade. Across the country, PPQ worked with the States and other partners to detect, contain, and when possible, eradicate invading pests. On the world stage, PPQ worked closely with our international trading partners to develop and promote science-based standards, helping to create a safe, fair, and predictable agricultural trade system that minimizes the spread of invasive plant pests and diseases. Learn about the many successes and accomplishments captured in the 2018 report (APHIS 81-05-021) and how PPQ is working every day to keep U.S. agriculture healthy and profitable.
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Aquatic Invasive Species - European Green Crab
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Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
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In addition to comprehensive information about the European green crab in Washington state, please see the following:
- European Green Crab Background Information - StoryMap including monitoring and how to report sightings
- Interactive European Green Crab Hub which supports coordination of ongoing emergency measures, data collection, and science.
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Arkansas Boaters Reminded to Unplug When Trailering Vessels
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Feb 3, 2021
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Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.
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Anglers and hunters and other boaters who use the state's waterways are being reminded by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Fisheries Division of a new regulation that took effect Jan 1, 2021, requiring all boat drain plugs to be removed before and during trailering of vessels to and from access facilities on lakes, rivers and streams. A similar boat plug regulation was already in place in 21 other states to help stop the spread of aquatic nuisance species, and the new AGFC rule was part of an extensive list of regulations recommended by the Fisheries Division and approved by the Commission in 2020, to take effect beginning Jan. 1. Aquatic nuisance species such as silver carp, giant salvinia, zebra mussels and others continue to spread across waterbodies in Arkansas, and the AGFC has as its mission a responsibility to put mechanisms in place to slow the spread.
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Arkansas Feral Hog Handbook Available Now [PDF, 167 KB]
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Oct 7, 2020
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Arkansas Department of Agriculture.
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The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce the release of the newly created Arkansas Feral Hog Handbook, a guide to resources available in Arkansas to assist with feral hog control and eradication. The handbook includes contact information, websites, and brief explanations of the resources offered by state and federal agencies and other entities. "The Arkansas Feral Hog Handbook was made possible through a grant funded by the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service. We appreciate their partnership and the information provided by other Feral Hog Eradication Task Force members to make the handbook a comprehensive educational resource for Arkansans," said Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward.
The handbooks are being distributed to the public at locations throughout the state with assistance from partner organizations, including the Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Arkansas Game and Fish, and Arkansas Farm Bureau. Copies of the handbook can be requested at lori.scott-nakai@arkansas.gov. An online version of the Arkansas Feral Hog Handbook (2020) [PDF, 4.48 MB] is also available.
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Army Corps of Engineers: Better Data and Planning Needed to Combat Aquatic Invasive Species
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Nov 6, 2023
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United States Government Accountability Office.
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Quagga and zebra mussels have spread rapidly across the country since they were first discovered in the late 1980s and, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials, have spread to every major river basin in the U.S. except the Columbia River Basin in the northwest. The mussels typically are spread by recreational watercraft such as boats, canoes, and Jet Skis that have been in infested waters. Once established in a water body, the mussel species are extremely difficult to eradicate because they have no natural predators in the U.S. and rapidly reproduce.
GAO was asked to examine efforts the Corps has undertaken to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species into the Columbia River Basin by recreational watercrafts. This report [PDF, 3.24 MB] provides information on the Corps' Watercraft Inspection and Decontamination Program and its role in helping to prevent the introduction or spread of quagga and zebra mussels—the aquatic invasive species of greatest concern to the Corps—as well as program challenges and opportunities for improvement.
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ARS Annual Report on Science
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USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
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The ARS Annual Report on Science highlights ARS’s impact on the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. Every year, ARS discovers real-world solutions to agricultural challenges affecting our nation and a growing world.Research highlights includes insect pests, plant diseases, animal health detection, protecting pollinator health and other related invasive species topics.
See also: Annual Report on Science Archives (from FY2016)
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ARS Research News - ARS Asian Giant Hornet Specialist Is Part of New Exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History
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Jul 11, 2022
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USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
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Agricultural Research Service research entomologist Matt Buffington is part of a new exhibit "Our Places: Connecting People and Nature" at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) in Washington DC. The exhibit explores how peoples' experiences with nature inspire them as well as offering visitors a chance to learn about how dedicated scientists and community members work to protect the environment.
Among the objects in "Our Places," is part of the actual Asian giant hornet "Nest Zero," the first place these huge hornets set up housekeeping when they arrived in Washington State from Asia in October 2019. Asian giant hornets are a concern because sometimes they can feed on honey bees, buzzsawing through a colony in minutes, and they deliver extremely painful stings to people, but fortunately only if provoked. To quell their spread, Washington State Department of Agriculture, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), both part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, worked to locate and remove the invasive hornets' nest.
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ARS Research News - ARS Scientists Discover a Promising Biological Control Agent for Tree-of-Heaven in France
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Dec 1, 2021
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USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
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United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and collaborators confirmed the presence of a newly described Eriophyid mite, a potential biological control agent for the invasive tree-of-heaven, in France. The study, published in Phytoparasitica, showed that this was the first record of the mite species in the country, and the species could be a solution for managing tree-of-heaven infestations in Europe and the United States.
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ARS Research News - New Discovery Speeds Scientists’ Push for HLB-Tolerant Citrus
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Feb 28, 2024
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USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
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A genetic discovery by ARS and University of Florida scientists could speed the search for hybrid citrus trees that tolerate citrus greening disease (Huanglongbing) and produce orange-like fruit ideal for making juice.
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ARS Research News - Sharing is Caring with Fire Ant Venom
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Dec 7, 2022
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USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
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Venom is associated with being harmful, but red imported fire ants are using their venom for its medicinal benefits by sharing the toxic substance with their nestmates, according to a study published in the Journal of Insect Physiology. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists from the agency's Biological Control of Pests Research Unit and Southern Insect Management Research Unit in Stoneville, Mississippi, discovered a new way that fire ants use their venom to prevent diseases in their colonies.
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ARS Research News - Thrips Show Promise in Controlling the Invasive Brazilian Peppertree in Florida
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Oct 12, 2022
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USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
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Brazilian peppertree thrips (Pseudophilothrips ichini) showed promise as biological control agents for invasive Brazilian peppertree populations in Florida according to a recent study published in the Florida Entomologist. Thrips are common insect pests on horticultural plants, but specialized Brazilian peppertree thrips from South America feed exclusively on the Brazilian peppertree's leaves and stem tips. Scientists from the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) collaborated with University of Florida and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services researchers to mass produce and release thrips throughout 567 sites in Florida between May 2019 and December 2021.
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ARS Research News - Trained Dogs Are the Most Efficient Way to Hunt Citrus Industry's Biggest Threat
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Feb 3, 2020
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USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
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Dogs specially trained by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have proven to be the most efficient way to detect huanglongbing—also known as citrus greening—according to a paper just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Currently, the only solid hope of curtailing the spread of citrus greening is to eliminate trees with the disease as quickly as possible to prevent further spread. Early detection of the citrus greening pathogen is crucial because trees can be infected and act as a source to spread the disease months or years before showing symptoms that are detectable by the naked eye. ARS plant epidemiologist Timothy R. Gottwald with the U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory in Fort Pierce, Florida, discovered that dogs can be trained to sniff out the presence of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the bacteria that causes citrus greening, with greater than 99 percent accuracy.
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ARS Research News - U.S. National Arboretum Offers Solution to Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Pest
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Feb 23, 2023
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USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
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Hemlocks in the U.S. are vulnerable to attack by a small insect called the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). This insect looks like tiny cotton balls on the needles of the tree and can kill the trees by feeding on the sap. The adelgid has decimated stands of hemlocks in the eastern U.S. While insecticides and biological control measures can offer some relief, the best way to combat HWA is to develop genetic resistance in the trees.
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ARS Science Key to Stopping ‘Man-Eating’ Parasite
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Jan 4, 2021
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USDA. ARS. Tellus.
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Eliminating screwworms from the United States saves farmers and ranchers nearly $900 million in lost livestock each year.
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