Department POC: Samantha J. Simon, Senior Invasive Species Coordinator

NISC

Updates, News & Notes[1]

Date: February 28, 2018

Department POC: Samantha J. Simon, Senior Invasive Species Coordinator

E-mail:

1. Update on the implementation of past recommendations/action items[2]:

Note: Since the Council has not yet met under the Trump Administration. Departments/Agencies/Offices may choose to highlight recent recommendations of particular thematic interest going forward rather than identify high-level policy and planning responses.

Nothing new to report.

1. Departmental newsof relevance to ISAC priorities[3]:

Issuance of North American Weed Classical Biological Control Research and Development Program Directory and Contacts. Available at I-biocontrol.org.

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture 2017 Annual Report, User Inspired Science Transforming Lives. Available at

USDA Agricultural Research Service, Scientific Discoveries, The Impact of Agricultural Research Service Research – Fiscal Year 2017. Available at

National Wildfire Coordinating Group publication: Guide to Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species Transport by Wildland Fire Operations (2017)

February 7, 2018, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced $17.5 million in emergency funding to stop the spread of the spotted lanternfly in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Recent successes include:

• Partnering with Mexico, Central America, and Panama to eradicate New World screwworm and preventing it from becoming re-established;
• Eradicating such pests as European grapevine moth and exotic fruit flies;
• Nearing eradication of the destructive cotton pests boll weevil and pink bollworm; and,
• Progress in feral swine damage management.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is actively supporting and working with the Micronesia Regional Invasive Species Council (RISC) in their efforts to update and implement the Regional Biosecurity Plan for Micronesia and Hawaii (known as the RBP). APHIS is also working closely with RISC and other Pacific Island countries, territories and Pacific organizations on a variety of biosecurity and priority invasive species concerns.

1. Departmental notes of relevance to ISAC[4]:

USDA—in close cooperation with its Federal and State partners—is committed to combating destructive invasive pests and diseases as an essential part of its mission to protect U.S.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) safeguards the health of American agriculture and natural resources by evaluating imports of agricultural products and other pest pathways and developing mitigations to prevent the introduction of invasive species. APHIS works concurrently on global and regional issues by establishing close collaborations with other Federal agencies, States, U.S. Territories, non-governmental organizations, and international partners, as necessary, to prevent the accidental introduction of invasive species and to manage or eradicate species that have already arrived in the U.S.

The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) serves as the principle coordinator for international activities within USDA. It is the core mission of FAS to facilitate trade and international cooperation.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical and financial assistance to cooperatinglandowners and federal agencies on adopting conservation practices on agricultural land, including rangeland. NRCSoperates the NRCS Plant Materials Centers nationwide to cultivate and provide seed stock of plants that are used for vegetative conservation practices. These centers encourage use of native plants for restoration, reclamation, and conservation practice uses, and support studies nationwide to control or suppress weeds and find suitable replacements for invasive species once control is achieved. NRCS also supports the PLANTS Database to determine beneficial plants that do well within a particular geographical location, as well as to list plants that should not be planted within a particular environment.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program. This is a voluntary program that helps agricultural producers and landowners use environmentally sensitive lands for conservation benefits, including combating invasive species.

The U.S. Forest Service manages invasive activities on 193 million acres of National Forests and grasslands. As part of its forest and resource management activities, it has numerous programs intended to prevent invasive species introduction and spread, controlling the most threatening invasive species, monitoring to detect newly introduced species, and restoring ecosystems damaged by invasive plants, insects or pathogens.

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is USDA’s primary in-house research agency, and provides scientific and technical support for its regulatory agencies. ARS has significant involvement in pest management, including invasive species, through its research infrastructure, maintaining overseas biological control laboratories and quarantine facilities, and developing procedures relating to conducting tests for the release of biological control agents in accordance with the requirements of NEPA. ARS conducts area-wide pest management programs, including demonstrations of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and other systems that employ biologically-based or pest-specific methods to reduce use of certain chemical pesticides. ARS also maintains and manages the National Invasive Species Information Center at

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) distributes federal funds to support research and extension programs at the land grant colleges of agriculture in every state. NIFA supports research, education, and extension programs in the land grant university system and other partner organizations; it does not perform actual research, education, or extension but instead helps fund programs at the state and local level. NIFA is actively engaged in the battle against invasive species through funding from the Section 406 Pest Management Programs and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative; through the IPM Centers; establishment of the National Plant and Animal Diagnostic Laboratory Networks and the Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education; Hatch funding of Agricultural Experiment Station Projects and regional coordination of research and extension efforts through multi-state committees.

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[1] Limit each section to one type written page. Links (URLs) to additional information are welcomed.

[2] Restate recommendation/action item and provide white paper title.

[3] Focus on technical issues of substantial merit – release of reports, policy actions, etc.

[4] Focus on organizational/logistical information relevant to ISAC – staff changes, upcoming meetings, etc.