Build the infrastructure of the connecticut cooperative agricultural pest survey program and enhance communication and networking among targeted stakeholders to support detection and response…

The Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service awarded the Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station a cooperative agreement totaling $104,700 on May 1, 2026, to build infrastructure for the Connecticut Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Program and enhance stakeholder communication to support detection and response efforts for exotic pests.

The award funds a state survey coordinator position that will maintain contact with growers' groups, industry associations, and landowners; respond to pest inquiries from the public and industry partners while tracking inquiry source, topic, report method, and outcome; provide information to media outlets as requested; obtain or create fact sheets about 2025 survey pests; mail survey information packets and pest fact sheets to participating growers; and update Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Program posters for display at grower meetings throughout the year. The work serves the homeland security initiative by protecting the nation's and Connecticut's food production and natural resources from exotic pests and by demonstrating area freedom from targeted invasive species, enabling continued U.S. export of at-risk agricultural stock from pest-free regions.

Period of performance runs May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027, with performance taking place in Connecticut.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to build the infrastructure of the connecticut cooperative agricultural pest survey program and enhance communication and networking among targeted stakeholders to support detection and response efforts for exotic pests. The ultimate goal of this work plan is to further the homeland security initiative by protecting our nation's and connecticut's food production and natural resources from exotic pests. The purpose of these surveys is to determine if any of these invasive pests have been introduced to the state of connecticut and whether connecticut is free of these exotic pests. Demonstrating area freedom is an important phytosanitary measure that will allow the united states to continue to export at-risk stock from regions of the country that are determined to be free from these pests.

Activities

State survey coordinator will maintain contact with cooperators, growers' groups, and industry and landowner associations, forwarding relevant pest information and invitations to participate in upcoming cooperative agricultural pest survey /plant protection act surveys. State survey coordinator will respond to pest inquiries from the public and industry partners, tracking how they heard of the program, what they called about, method of the report, date of report, and outcome. Deliverables and expected outcomes: state plant regulatory official and/or state survey coordinat or will provide information to media outlets as requested. State survey coordinator will obtain or create fact sheets about the 2025 survey pests to give to cooperators. State survey coordinator (SSC) will mail survey information packets and pest fact sheets to G rowers participating in pest surveys. State survey coordinator (SSC) will update cooperative agricultural pest survey program and pest information posters for display at grower meetings. Throughout the year, state survey coordinator (SSC) will provide connecticut agriculture experiment station (CAES) webmaster with updates to the connecticut agriculture experiment station (CAES) cooperative a gricultural pest survey website, including pest information, fact sheets, work plans, committee meeting minutes and reports. State survey coordinator (SSC) will work on enhancing web presence of cooperative agricultural pest survey website. State survey coordinator (SSC) will produce and/or update relevant fact sheets for pests targeted in the 2025 cooperative agricultural pest survey and plant protection act surveys. Connecticut agriculture experiment station (CAES) will produce press releases regarding any new state pest detections. Intended beneficiary(IES): general public. Agriculture industry. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: none. Cost analysis: personnel $45,382 (state survey coordinator, regulatory official and seasonal research assistant; fringe benefits $35,044; travel $4700 (travel to meetings and vehicles); supplies $1422