Check out the new APHIS story map about the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) – An interactive story map of the USDA’s history of combating the infestation and the continuing efforts to protect ash trees in the U.S. If your organization would like to partner with APHIS on EAB biological control efforts, please email EAB.Biocontrol.Program@aphis.usda.gov.
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Effective October 10, 2018, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) added an 87-acre field to the pale cyst nematode (PCN) infested area in Bingham County, Idaho. APHIS took this action based on the confirmations of PCN cysts in soil samples from a potato production field in Bingham County received on September 25, 2018. This action brings the number of PCN-infested fields to 28 and the infested area to 3,130 acres.
Due to sharing of unwashed farm equipment and close proximity to this infested field, APHIS also placed an additional 93-acre field in Bingham County under regulation. In addition, APHIS made a geographic information system-based adjustment to the boundary of an associated field to improve accuracy of the regulated area map, which resulted in removing two acres under regulation in Bingham County. This brings the total regulated area in Idaho to 8,311 acres. Continue reading
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Effective October 4, 2018, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) removed the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine in the Half Moon Bay area of San Mateo, California. Continue reading
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APHIS announced today that it will conduct annual certification visits in November and December to offshore facilities that wish to ship geranium (Pelargonium spp.) cuttings to the United States during the 2018-2019 season. During these visits, APHIS will confirm that the offshore facilities meet or exceed the “Minimum Sanitation Protocols for Offshore Geranium Cutting Production.”
APHIS must physically visit and certify all interested offshore facilities before December 31, 2018. Participating facilities must cover the full cost of these certification visits, including travel, salary, benefits, and overtime. The facilities will provide these funds through a trust fund established through a signed cooperative services agreement. Continue reading
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The Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination group (HLB MAC) is accepting suggestions until November 1, 2018, for projects that will help develop near-term solutions for citrus producers facing huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening). HLB MAC is focused on funding projects that have the greatest potential to keep HLB out of citrus that is currently free of the disease, help growers produce citrus under high HLB disease pressure, and remediate the impact of HLB.
Interested stakeholders are invited to submit project suggestions three times a year (by November 1, February 1, and June 1) as resources are available. All projects must be no more than 24 months in duration and must address one of the HLB MAC goal areas. Continue reading
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The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) provides this update of spotted lanternfly (SLF) activities in Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, and Delaware. SLF feeds on more than 70 types of plants, including crops such as grapes, apples, hops, walnuts, and other hardwood trees. SLF suck sap from stems and leaves, damaging plants as they feed. APHIS and state cooperators continue to work together to assess the affected areas and implement a program response to detect, contain, and suppress SLF populations in order to reduce the pest’s spread. Continue reading
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is expanding its use of a notice-based process for approving fruits and vegetables for importation into the United States. This will help APHIS achieve USDA’s goal of reducing regulations by eliminating the need for rulemaking to approve fruits and vegetables for import. This action does not in any way compromise the rigor of APHIS’ analysis for potential plant pest risks, nor our safeguarding efforts. Instead, it will streamline procedures and help to reduce the time it takes to approve commodities for entry into the United States. This change will also allow us to focus regulatory resources, which would otherwise be consumed with the lengthy rulemaking process, on other critical priorities. Continue reading
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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has asked USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to authorize the importation of June plum for consumption into the continental United States, subject to irradiation at an approved U.S. irradiation facility. APHIS has drafted a pest list that lists potential pests associated with the commodity.
APHIS shares draft pest risk assessments and pest lists to determine whether stakeholders have information that might lead us to revise the draft assessment before we identify pest mitigations and proceed with official regulatory action. Continue reading
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Puerto Rico has asked USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to authorize the movement of fresh soursop for consumption into the continental United States. APHIS has drafted a pest risk assessment that lists potential pests likely to remain on the commodity if no mitigations are applied.
APHIS shares draft pest risk assessments to determine whether stakeholders have information that might lead us to revise the draft assessment before we identify pest mitigations and proceed with official regulatory action. Continue reading
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APHIS Invites Public Comment on Measures to Promote the Conservation of the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is considering options for actions it can take to support the conservation of the southwestern willow flycatcher. This endangered bird nests and feeds in dense forests of willow and non-native saltcedar (tamarisk trees) along southwestern rivers. Continue reading →
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