Press Release

Jim Rogers	(202) 690-4755
Jerry Redding	(202) 720-6959

USDA TO RAISE SOYBEAN RUST AWARENESS DURING SEVEN-CITY TOUR

WASHINGTON, July 16, 2004–U.S. Department of Agriculture officials will help inform soybean producers about early soybean rust detection and treatment during an education series. The USDA panel of experts will visit seven cities later this month in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee.

The first information session will focus on "Soybean Rust; What is it, Why Should I Care and What are Government and Industry Representatives Doing to Address It?" "Combating Rust," "Application Facts" and government safeguards also will be covered.

To help soybean growers identify and eventually manage the soybean rust disease, a panel of experts will start the education series in Raleigh, N.C., July 21. USDA specialists will make presentations in the following cities:

Plain City, Ohio—July 22
Memphis, Tenn. —July 23
Indianapolis, Ind. —July 27
Fremont, Neb. —July 28
Moline, Ill.—July 29
Mankato, Minn.—July 30

Soybean rust, a fungus that infects the leaves of soybean plants and has caused significant yield losses in other parts of the world, has not been detected in the continental United States. However, USDA officials and experts in the field say early detection and treatment could minimize the impact of the eventual introduction the disease in this country. According to scientific data, the disease is spread primarily by wind-borne spores and could arrive in the United States through wind currents.

Additional information about soybean rust can be found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/sbr/sbr.html.

Note to Reporters: Prior to each event, APHIS will send out and post a media advisory to its Web site inviting interested news organizations to attend.