The funds from this agreement will directly support survey and inspection efforts, activities to develop enhanced PA rtnerships with other state and federal cooperators, and outreach opportunities…

This $1,321,864 Cooperative Agreement awarded on September 26, 2025 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 grant program (CFDA 10.025) supports survey and inspection efforts, partnership development, and outreach activities focused on high-risk pathways for the movement of exotic agricultural pests in Florida.

Key activities to be performed include enhanced inspections at agricultural interdiction stations, import centers, high-risk nurseries, distribution centers, and express courier facilities, with some detector dog teams also supporting exotic mollusk surveys. The project aims to enable early pest detection, prevent plant pest establishment, identify pathways, communicate with trading partners, and increase public awareness of the threat of domestic and foreign pest introduction. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is the primary awardee tasked with carrying out these efforts to protect Florida's and the nation's agricultural industry.

Activities

The activities of the agreement focus on the enhanced survey at points of entry, including agricultural interdiction stations in north florida, import centers, high-risk nurseries, distribution centers and detector DOG inspections at various express courier locations. In addition, one or more of the detector DOG teams will directly support the ongoing exotic mollusk survey post giant african snail eradication. State personnel will conduct inspections, deploy traps, and conduct visual surveys for targeted pests; most of which will follow caps approved survey methodologies. Additionally, outreach materials will be developed and distributed to help educate stakeholders and the general public about the risks associated with the movement of agricultural products, and the role USDA and fdacs play in association with these issues. Deliverables and expected outcomes: the results and success of the project will include early pest detection and prevention of plant pest establishment in florida and the united states, identification of pathways, communication with trading partners and an increased awareness of the threat of domestic and foreign pest introduction. Intended beneficiary(IES): florida is a sentinel state for exotic plant pests, averaging 14-20 new detections annually. Much of florida's agricultural industry, and that of the nation, could be severely impacted should any of these pests become established in the US. The ability to provide for the early detection of them greatly enhances the opportunity for eradication, mitigation strategies, lower the costs of that mitigation to growers and lessen the impact on international trade. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: N/a.