Describe below, the award description using the requirements above. This is what the GS will enter in the award description field in EFG.

The Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service awarded a $225,632 cooperative agreement to NY State Agriculture & Markets on June 1, 2026, to implement a survey and regulatory program for box tree moth (BTM) in response to the unmanaged BTM population in Ontario, Canada and its risk to New York and U.S. agricultural resources.

NY State Agriculture & Markets will conduct surveys, regulatory compliance assessments, and outreach work at high-risk nursery and plant dealer establishments that grow or offer Buxus species for sale within and outside the BTM quarantine area. The agency will establish a regulatory compliance agreement program to support a systems approach to BTM containment in establishments, and will deploy a public online reporting system with a GIS component to capture BTM sightings for assessment by the agency. The agency will work with nursery grower and plant dealer establishments to limit human-assisted spread of BTM through sale of susceptible host material. Deliverables include early detection in non-quarantine areas through surveys, trapping, and boxwood inspection to support pest control, as well as industry outreach to evaluate and improve nursery and landscape sector awareness of BTM mitigation. NY State Agriculture & Markets anticipates surveying a minimum of 400 nursery grower and dealer establishments during the growing season and placing a minimum of 100 traps outside the quarantine area.

Period of performance runs from June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2027. Work is performed in New York.

Purpose

The primary goal of this agreement is to implement a survey and regulatory program for box tree moth (BTM) to address the risk that the unmanaged BTM population in ontario, canada represents to new york and the united states agricultural resources.

Activities

Nysagm will conduct surveys, regulatory, and outreach work at high-risk nursery and plant dealer establishments that grow or offer buxus SP. For sale within and outside of the BTM quarantine area. Nysagm will conduct a regulatory compliance agreement program to support a systems approach to BTM in establishments. Any public sightings of BTM will be captured via an online reporting system with a GIS component. Reports submitted to nysagm will be assessed for presence or absence of BTM. Nysagm will work with nursery grower and plant dealer establishments to limit the human assisted spread of BTM through the sale of susceptible host material. Deliverables and expected outcomes: early detection in non-quarantine areas through surveys, trapping, and inspection of boxwood will help in control of this pest. In addition, nysagm will continue to conduct outreach activities with nursery and landscape industry to evaluate the situation of awareness of the industry in mitigating the spread of BTM to high risk/consequence areas of the state. Nysagm anticipate a minimum of 400 nursery grower/dealer establishments will be surveyed which could involve regulatory and/or survey work both in and out of the quarantine area during the growing season. Nysagm will place at minimum, 100 traps outside the quarantine. Intended beneficiary(IES): this project will benefit the new york state horticulture industry and the public through BTM containment, and nysagm and USDA via furthering of a shared vision and strengthened relationship. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: the cornell university insect diagnostic lab will conduct screening of insect specimens collected.