The commodity-based survey of grapes will focus on the following priority pests: false codling moth (FCM), thaumatotibia leucotreta; european grape berry moth (egbm), eupoecilia ambiguella;…

This $430,000 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 Federal Grant Program (CFDA 10.025), supports a commodity-based survey of grape vineyards in California. The survey focuses on detecting the presence of priority pests and pathogens, including false codling moth, European grape berry moth, Christmas berry webworm, and three grapevine phytoplasma pathogens. The survey will be conducted in the top 12 grape-producing counties in California, with traps placed at sites at least one square mile apart and visual surveys performed two days per month. Suspect samples will be sent to a diagnostic center for identification. The survey aims to produce mitigation measures for any incipient pest or disease populations found, as well as support existing state and federal regulations to facilitate trade and exports.

Activities

This survey will be conducted in grape vineyards in the top 12 grape producing counties in california. These counties include kern, fresno, napa, tulare, sonoma, SAN joaquin, SAN luis obispo, madera, monterey, yolo, riverside and sacramento. Traps will be placed at sites that are at least one square mile apart. The visual phytoplasma survey will be conducted two days per month during the trapping season and a total of two to four vineyards will be surveyed per month in each county depending on the vineyard's size and accessibility. Each vineyard will be surveyed once during the survey season. Staff performing the survey will be trained on how to survey, preliminary identification of the targeted pests, and the sample submission procedures. Suspect samples will be sent to the plant pest diagnostic center (ppdc) for identification by an insect biosystematist or plant pathologist. Deliverables and expected outcomes: a tabulation of the number of sites trapped and sampled and the number of samples submitted can be used to determine if the survey efforts were sufficient to meet the project needs. Targeting the survey on the selected areas that have the greatest risk for introduction should allow for a reasonable expectation for the detection of the pests. Therefore, this survey should find evidence of the pests if they are being introduced. Negative survey results would indicate that the targeted pests have not been introduced and have not become established in california, thereby showing areas free from these pests. If one or more infestations are found early enough, this survey will also allow for an appropriate mitigative response. Intended beneficiary(IES): the grape industry in california is worth an estimated $88.12 billion, including the value of wine production, tourism, job creation, taxes and other economic impacts. IT is the second largest agricultural industry in the state with grape cash receipts valued at $6.52 billion in 2023. Additionally, grapes cover approximately 828,000 acres of land across the state, and the wine tourism industry alone is worth an estimated $8. 56 billion. Invasive pests continue to pose a significant threat to this multi-billion-dollar industry. These pests would be detrimental to export markets and cause devastating losses to the agricultural industry if IT were to become established in california. SU brecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: staff from the county agricultural commissioners' offices will assist in this survey, see attachment b.