Facilitate the early detection of exotic terrestrial plant pests and possible eradication of these, and any other major agricultural pests found during this survey, helping to prevent establishment,…

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the Department of Agriculture awarded a $223,169 cooperative agreement to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets on January 1, 2026, to conduct early detection surveys for exotic terrestrial plant pests in New York nurseries and ornamental crop operations.

The recipient will conduct approximately 1,262 combined surveys—deploying traps and performing visual inspections—targeting pests including Siberian silk moth, pine-tree lappet, old world bollworm, rosy tussock moth, pine processionary moth, boxwood blight, Japanese wax scale, late blight, southern bacterial wilt, cucumber green mosaic virus, and tomato brown rugose fruit virus. The State Survey Coordinator will oversee pest detection activities. An estimated 1,800 samples will be collected and entered into the National Agricultural Pest Information System (NAPIS). Deliverables include early detection of agriculturally important pests not currently known to occur in New York or the United States.

Work is performed in New York during the period January 1 through December 31, 2026. The funding covers one state survey coordinator (1,664 hours at $44.61 per hour), fourteen horticultural inspectors conducting trap surveys and visual inspections, fringe benefits, travel, and mileage.

Cornell University serves as a sub-recipient providing taxonomic services for insect and disease identification of survey samples through its diagnostic laboratories.

Purpose

The purpose of this award is to facilitate the early detection of exotic terrestrial plant pests and possible eradication of these, and any other major agricultural pests found during this survey, helping to prevent establishment, and spread of exotic terrestrial plant pests in the eastern U.S. And elsewhere in this country.

Activities

Nysagm will conduct a nursery and ornamental survey. Targeted pests include siberian silk moth, pine-tree lappet, old world bollworm, rosy tussock moth, pine processionary moth, boxwood blight, japanese wax scale, late blight, southern bacterial wilt/southern wilt, cucumber green mosaic virus, and tomato brown rugose fruit virus. Depending on the target pest, traps will be deployed or visual inspections will be conducted, for a combined total of approximately 1 ,262 surveys. The state survey coordinator will steer pest detection activities. Deliverables and expected outcomes: early detection of agriculturally important pests that are not known to occur in NY or the US. An estimated 1,800 samples could be collected from traps and visual surveys. All data will be entered into napis. Intended beneficiary(IES): nysagm, USDA, new york state, caps committee(S), cornell university, the public, industry nurseries/greenhouses/growers/etc.) subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: cornell university - taxonomic services: insect and disease identification of survey samples cost analysis: personnel - state survey coordinator: 1 staff - 1664 hours @ $44.61 $74 ,231; field staff: horticultural inspector 1 (14): trap survey: 7 weeks X 4 hours/week = 28 hours X 14 inspectors = 392 HRS @ $40.93/HR = $16,045 visual survey: 130 HRS @$40.93/HR = $5,321 equals $21,366; fringe benefits - infrastructure $44,234; survey $12,732; travel - infrastructure $1,750; survey $2,800; mileage $4,070; contractual - cornell university: taxonomic support for disease identification: plant disease diagnostic clinic, ithaca, NY (S.jensen) and long island horticultural research & extension laboratory (1 diagnostician) salaries. = $16,000