Support PPA 7721GOAL 1, PPQ pestdetection, and the cooperative agricultural pest survey (CAPS) surveysby providing fundingto an institution to process, screen, and identify samples from suchsurveys

The Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) awarded $150,000 to Mississippi State University under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care federal grant program (CFDA 10.025) for the period of August 1, 2022 through July 31, 2023. The award will support APHIS' pest detection mission by providing taxonomic identification of samples from the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey to help enable early detection of exotic pest species. Mississippi State University's Entomological Museum will process survey samples from 11 states for identification of target species in certain insect orders and families. Identifications will focus on species listed in the agency's priority pest list and others of regulatory significance. Results will be reported to participating states within three weeks to allow for an appropriate response, and mid-year and end-of-year reports will be provided to USDA. No subawards were specified.

Purpose

The purpose of this agreement is to support PPA 7721GOAL 1, PPQ pestdetection, and the cooperative agricultural pest survey (CAPS) surveysby providing fundingto an institution to process, screen, and identify samples from suchsurveys. While many stateshave access to taxonomic support for selected taxa within their state, others lack taxonomicexpertise and personnel to support pest surveys. Traditional federal andacademic taxonomicresources are inadequate to support current, let alone additional, surveys.

Activities

The support for taxonomic assistance toprocess pest survey sampleswill facilitate the aphis early pest detection mission by enablingstates to expand the scope oftheir surveys that may be limited by the lack of access to taxonomicsupport. The mississippistate university has taxonomic specialists and staff qualified toidentify exotic species ofdiptera, coleoptera, lepidoptera, hemiptera, hymenoptera, andorthoptera. This taxonomicexpertise and assistance will enable quick processing of samples forearly detection of exoticspecies.deliverables and expected outcomes: the mississippi entomological museumwill process surveysamples from mississippi, alabama, georgia, tennessee, kentucky, missouri, north carolina, south carolina, louisiana, arkansas and others as needed foridentification of target species inthe diptera, coleoptera, lepidoptera, hemiptera, hymenoptera, andorthoptera in an effectiveand cost-efficient manner, i.e., maximize the number of samplesprocessed per the fundingreceived. Identifications will be focused on species listed in thepriority pest list and other listedspecies of regulatory significance. Results of identifications, bothpositive and negative, will bereported to the participating states in a timely manner, e.g., within 3WEEKS of sample receipt, toenable submitters to respond to an identification in an appropriatemanner. Mid-year and end-of-year reports will be provided to the USDA.intended beneficiary (IES): the beneficiaries of this project are verybroad, as species in thescreened for affect both agricultural and forest resources. This wouldcause problems foragricultural producers, homeowners, the forest industry, the recreationindustry, wildlife, andconsumers.subrecipients: none