Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** damages from invasive species are a…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** damages from invasive species are a growing problem for the agricultural sector and the rural communities that become exposed. The invasion of the spotted lanternfly in 2014 serves as one example of the speed at which invasive species – estimated to cause economic damages of $137 billion each year – can spread and damage rural and agricultural economies. Mitigation efforts have succeeded in slowing, but not preventing, the spread of the new spotted lanternfly – described by some as the worst invasive pest since the spongy (formerly, gypsy) moth 150 years ago. As a result, IT is crucial to understand the economic damages to farm operations and rural communities, as well as study to what degree farmers are adapting to the new pest, and by which means. This project will use recently available data on the expansion of the spotted lanternfly across U.S. Counties, along with the planned release of the 2022 agricultural census in 2024, and employ econometric analysis methods to study how crop yields, crop revenue, land values, and agricultural employment are affected following the emergence of spotted lanternfly. In addition, this project will examine the degree to which farmers are switching to different crops, or are increasing their pesticide use in response to the new pest. Finally, this project will use the above estimates to quantify the projected effects of future spotted lanternfly expansion under different scenarios. These projected estimates will highlight the regions where damages might be high, potentially necessitating prioritizing control efforts in those locations.