Official Pest Report
Official Pest Reports are provided by National Plant Protection Organizations within the NAPPO region. These Pest Reports are intended to comply with the International Plant Protection Convention's Standard on Pest Reporting, endorsed by the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures in March 2002.
Tilletia indica (Karnal Bunt): APHIS Amends Regulated Areas in La Paz, Maricopa, and Pinal Counties in Arizona
Tilletia indica (Karnal Bunt): APHIS Amends Regulated Areas in La Paz, Maricopa, and Pinal Counties in Arizona
Country: United States
Title: Tilletia indica (Karnal Bunt): APHIS Amends Regulated Areas in La Paz, Maricopa, and Pinal Counties in Arizona
Contact:
Lynn Evans-Goldner, National Policy Manager, at 301-851-2286.
Report:
Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending the Karnal bunt regulated areas in La Paz, Maricopa, and Pinal Counties in Arizona.
Following a review of the results of the 2019 survey of Karnal bunt-regulated areas, APHIS is reducing the regulated area by 38,547 field acres in accordance with the criteria listed in 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 301.89-3(f). Therefore, there will be no more restrictions on the interstate movement of Karnal bunt-regulated articles from these areas. Specifically, APHIS is removing 2,167 field acres from La Paz County, 29,353 field acres from Maricopa County, and 7,027 field acres from Pinal County from the list of regulated areas. The field acres removed in La Paz County are part of the Colorado River Indian Tribes Reservation that is home to the Chemehuevi, Mohave, Hopi, and Navajo Tribes.
In addition, APHIS is adding one field (seven field acres) in the Palo Verde area of Maricopa County to the list of regulated areas. APHIS is adding this formerly abandoned field, not because we detected Karnal bunt, but because it is now productive agricultural land and is located within a regulated area. We have determined that this field meets the criteria for regulation outlined in 7 CFR § 301.89-3(e). This field is not on Tribal land.
APHIS is taking this regulatory action to prevent the spread of Karnal bunt from Arizona. Karnal bunt is a pest that affects wheat quality. APHIS regulates this plant disease because many trading partners require that U.S. wheat be certified as grown in areas free of Karnal bunt.
APHIS will follow this emergency action with the publication of an interim rule in the Federal Register. More information on Karnal bunt is available at the following website:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/kb
Under IPPC standards, Tilletia indica is considered to be a pest that is present in portions of Arizona and is under eradication in the United States.
Posted Date: Feb. 7, 2020, 5:44 p.m.