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New and Emerging Threats When is a Pest of Regulatory Significance?

New and Emerging Threats When is a Pest of Regulatory Significance?. Rebecca Bech – Deputy Administrator USDA-APHIS-PPQ John Payne – Assistant Deputy Administrator - USDA-APHIS-PPQ National Plant Diagnostic Network 2 nd National Meeting December 7, 2009. Need for Regulation of Plant Pests.

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New and Emerging Threats When is a Pest of Regulatory Significance?

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  1. New and Emerging ThreatsWhen is a Pest of Regulatory Significance? Rebecca Bech – Deputy Administrator USDA-APHIS-PPQ John Payne – Assistant Deputy Administrator - USDA-APHIS-PPQ National Plant Diagnostic Network 2nd National Meeting December 7, 2009

  2. Need for Regulation of Plant Pests • Chestnut Blight • White Pine Blister Rust • Dutch Elm Disease • European Gypsy Moth • Other Arthropod Examples • Noxious Weeds

  3. Plant Protection & Quarantine Mission Safeguarding agriculture and natural resources exotic plant pests noxious weeds Fulfilling the safeguarding role ensures the food supply strengthens trade preserves the global environment

  4. Plant Protection Act - 2000 • Authorizes U.S. Department of Agriculture to Regulate Plant Material and Pests • Plant Protection Act - 2000 “no person shall import, enter, export, or move in interstate commerce any plant pest, unless the importation, entry, exportation, or movement is authorized under general or specific permit and is in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may issue to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United States or the dissemination of plant pests within the United States” Most simplified answer: Any pest that is entered into the U.S. or is moved interstate is of regulatory significance unless otherwise authorized by the Secretary of Agriculture

  5. Plant Protection Act • Intent of the Law to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United States or the dissemination of plant pests within the United States • Implemented through published regulations • Minimize impacts on Commerce and Research • Permits • Development of Widely Prevalent Pest Lists • Stakeholder input for effective application of the law

  6. New Incursions – What Triggers a PPQ Response? For Known Pests • PPQ develops New Pest Response Guidelines • Development of PRAs for Specific Pests or Commodities Note: Many of the most significant pests (past and present) were unknown until after introduction had already taken place. For Unknown Pests or New Situations • New Pest Advisory Group (NPAG)

  7. Factors that Drive PPQ Response: • Appropriateness to PPQ mission and statutory authorities • Availability of a cost effective mitigation that can be implemented through regulatory processes • Economic (including international trade) • Ecological • Input from Stakeholders (Practical, Social and Cultural) • Political/Budget • Consistency with WTO SPS Agreement

  8. 9/11 – USA PATRIOT Act and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9 (HSPD-9) • APHIS specifically designated as regulators of Select Agents • Extra security measures, background checks, law enforcement (FBI) involved in incidents • Select Agent list reviewed every 2 years

  9. Examples of RegulatedPests of Significance PPQ Programs – Effective at arthropod pest eradications • Examples - Med fly, Mex fly, Boll Weevil, Asian Longhorn Beetle (Exceptions – Emerald Ash Borer) • Plant Pathogens are more difficult to eradicate using standard phytosanitary procedures • Once eradication is not possible, program shifts to recovery mode • Chestnut Blight – No regulatory program • Would this be a significant pest if introduced today?

  10. Examples of Regulated Pests of Significance • Plum pox virus • Phytophthora ramorum • Potato Cyst Nematodes • Citrus Greening vs. invasive pests of significance • Soybean rust

  11. Challenge: Taxonomic Fluctuations and Revisions • Insect Species Complexes • Regulation below the species level • Ralstonia solanacearum Race 3 biovar 2 • Xylella fastidiosa Citrus Variegated Chlorosis strain Becomes more complex as knowledge of pest biology is used for regulation

  12. Future Threats – What to look for: • Known Threats • Select Agents • Exotic Black Stem Rust (Ug99) • Citrus variegated chlorosis agent • If Unknown – Assessment of factors • Economic (Ex. Affects large U.S. crop) • Ecological • Stakeholder input • Scan of scientific literature and offshore information

  13. Conclusions: • There are several straight-forward answers • But, no single answer encompasses all cases • Factors • What threat does the pest pose to US Agriculture? • Informed by Science and knowledge of the pest • Information might be unavailable early in program • Consideration of the views of stakeholders • Evolves as situation changes and knowledge base grows

  14. Thank You!

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