1.

This $250,000 Cooperative Agreement awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025) supports monitoring, survey, treatment, and outreach activities to prevent the spread of the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) pest in West Virginia. The State of West Virginia Department of Agriculture will conduct SLF surveys and pesticide treatments, primarily focused in Mineral County and the Northern Panhandle region. Outreach efforts will also educate the public to help prevent the artificial spread of SLF and support early detection. The key deliverables include presence/absence data for SLF, which will facilitate safe trade, support potential eradication efforts, and improve overall plant health in the state. This work is intended to benefit the grape and fruit orchard industries in West Virginia, as well as the general public and other states by slowing or stopping the spread of this economically damaging pest.

Purpose

The purpose of this agreement is to provide monitoring, survey, treatment, and outreach activities to prevent the spread of a plant pest that can be used for regulatory and pest management purposes. This work will be conducted in west virginia for spotted lanternfly (SLF) that may attack and damage various species of trees and economically important agricultural crops. 2.

Activities

SLF surveys and outreach will be conducted throughout the state. Pesticide treatments to control SLF will be conducted where needed but most work will focus on mineral country and the northern panhandle of WV. Surveyors will monitor traps and conduct visual surveys throughout the growing season (may to october). All records will be entered into the napis database. Outreach will be conducted where IT is deemed to be most effective, but focus will be on areas that have the potential to reach the most people (large events like the state fair, billboards on heavily traveled highways, etc.) 3. Deliverables and expected outcomes: presence / absence data for spotted lanternfly which is a pest of commodities important to west virginia and american agriculture. This data will help facilitate safe trade, possibly lead to early detection and eradication of SLF in certain areas and improve overall plant health. Treatments in known infested areas will also reduce populations of the pest and prevent spread and establishment in new areas. Outreach efforts will educate the public which should help prevent artificial spread of the pest and possibly result in early detection. 4. Intended beneficiary(IES): the grape and fruit orchard industries in west virginia will benefit because this survey could lead to early detection and control of SLF that may damage crops in the state. The citizens of west virginia and visitors to the state who enjoy outdoor recreation will also benefit from this work as reduced populations of SLF mean less honeydew/sooty mold on homes, outdoor furniture, cars, etc. Finally, industry and citizens in uninfested states will benefit if WV and other infested states can slow or stop the spread of this pest into new areas. 5. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: N/a