USDA Provides Funding to Cooperators for Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention

"We are committed to partnering with our stakeholders to achieve our mutual goals of identifying and mitigating threats to American agriculture, enhancing our emergency response capabilities, and increasing public awareness of the danger of invasive pests and diseases," said Tom Vilsack, U.S. Agriculture Secretary as he announced the $50 million fund support provided by the 2008 Farm Bill Section 10201.

The fund will support 321 project in the 50 states including American Samoa and Guam to help prevent the introduction or spread of plant pests and diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture and the environment. Specifically the projects include among others a nationwide survey of honey bee pests and diseases, the monitoring of high-risk international and domestic pathways for invasive species, applied research to combat citrus pests, the development of detector dog surveillance programs in certain high-risk agricultural states, and targeted invasive species public outreach.

Completed projects related to Section 10201 which were accomplished in the last three years include: developing eLearning modules for pest screening and increasing diagnostic capacity, training canine teams to conduct surveillance at ports of entry; supporting the 2011 national survey of honey bee pests and diseases and developing the Hungry Pest campaign – a targeted, nationwide invasive pest public awareness campaign.

See the news release at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2012/05/0165.xml&
navid=NEWS_RELEASE&navtype=RT&parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&edeployment_action=retrievecontent