APHIS Announces Dates for Fiscal Year 2016 Farm Bill 10007 Open Period

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2015—The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced today the dates of the fiscal year (FY) 2016 open period for submitting suggestions to implement the Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program of the 2014 Farm Bill. The FY 2016 open period will last six weeks from August 3, 2015, through September 14, 2015. There will be $62.5 million available with at least $5 million going to the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN). The open period for submitting NCPN project suggestions will be announced separately.

APHIS will solicit suggestions about one month earlier than last year in an effort to establish agreements with cooperators in the first and second quarters of the new fiscal year. This will allow cooperators to plan and conduct activities that need to start in the spring and early summer of 2016.

The FY 2016 Implementation Plan and Frequently Asked Questions are available on the Farm Bill Section 10007 Web site at www.aphis.usda.gov/farmbill. APHIS will offer webinars in the coming weeks to assist anyone who is planning to submit a suggestion. Webinar details will be sent through the APHIS Stakeholder Registry. They will also be posted to the Farm Bill Section 10007 Web site.

Questions about the FY 2016 open period should be sent to farmbillsection10007@aphis.usda.gov.