1.

This $180,000 cooperative agreement from the Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will fund survey and quarantine activities in Tennessee through December 2022. The awardee, Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Industries, will survey unregulated areas of the state for imported fire ants, assess sites for treatment or quarantine expansion if ants are present, and administer federal and state quarantine efforts to prevent the artificial spread of this exotic pest. Survey results and quarantine compliance monitoring aim to protect Tennessee agriculture and public safety by mitigating the risk of fire ant introduction and spread. This award supports the stated goals of the USDA's $10.025 million Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program to safeguard U.S. agricultural interests from economically damaging insects and diseases.

Purpose

This cooperative agreement serves two purposes: 1) survey tennessee'scounties not regulated for imported fire ANT (IFA) and, 2) administerthe federal and state IFA quarantine activities. Both purposes tomitigate the artificial movement of this exotic insect.2.

Activities

Survey program activities include visual survey of non-regulated areasof TN for the presence of IFA. If IFA is found, the site is assessed forthe suitability of treatment/eradication or the expansion of thestate/federal quarantines. IFA quarantine (IFAQ) activities include isto monitor industry for the movement of IFAQ regulated items, maintain/monitor IFAQ compliance agreements.3. Deliverables and expected outcomes:presence/absence data for IFA in non-regulated areas of TN. Theseresults will help determine future survey, treatment and possible ifaqexpansion efforts. IFAQ activities mitigate the risk of artificialmovement of IFA through the movement of regulated items.4. Intended beneficiary(IES):tennessee farmers and exporters will benefit from the results of thissurvey, as well as the general public (as a safety concern). Whether theresults are confirmation of negative data (i.e., pests not present intn) or the ability to detect the pest(S) early enough to initiate anearly eradication response, if feasible, or the expansion of theregulated area.5. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award:N/a