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Animal and Plant Diseases and Pests of Concern

Last Modified: Mar 12, 2021

Based on our years of experience and the latest science, APHIS developed a list of 59 pests and diseases that could pose a significant risk to U.S. food and agriculture resources. The list is not meant to be all-encompassing, but rather focus on the most impactful pests and diseases. Our goal remains to keep the U.S. free of these foreign pests and diseases.

The list does not limit our ability to respond to pests and diseases. APHIS will continue to respond to new detections of known or emerging pests and diseases appropriately in order to protect U.S. agriculture.

Animal Diseases and Pests

Common Name	Scientific Name/Causative Agent
African swine fever	African swine fever virus
Classical swine fever	classical swine fever virus
Foot-and-mouth disease	foot-and-mouth disease virus
Highly pathogenic avian influenza	avian influenza virus
Low pathogenicity avian influenza (H5 and H7 subtypes)	avian influenza virus
New World screwworm	Cochliomyia hominivorax
Rift Valley fever	Rift Valley fever virus
Virulent Newcastle disease	Newcastle disease virus

Plant Diseases and Pests

Common Name	Scientific Name/Causative Agent
Alder root and collar rot	Phytophthora alni
Almond witches' broom	Candidatus Phytoplasma phoenicium 16SrIX-B
Apple proliferation	Candidatus Phytoplasma mali 16SrX-A
Ash dieback	Hymenoscyphus fraxineus
Asiatic rice borer	Chilo suppressalis
Australian grapevine yellows	Candidatus Phytoplasma australiense 16SrXII-B
Bacterial blight	Xanthomonas oryzaepv. oryzae
Bacterial leaf streak	Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola
Bacterial wilt	Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2
Beech bleeding canker	Phytophthora kernoviae
Black maize beetle	Heteronychus arator
Bois noir; Stolbur	Candidatus Phytoplasma solani 16SrXII-A
Christmas berry webworm	Cryptoblabes gnidiella
Citrus longhorned beetle	Anoplophora chinensis
Coconut cadang-cadang (CCCVd)	Cocadviroid Coconut cadang-cadang viroid
Cotton cutworm	Spodoptera litura
Cotton seed bug	Oxycarenus hyalinipennis
Cucumber green mottle mosaic (CGMMV)	Tobamovirus Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus
Cucurbit beetle	Diabrotica speciosa
European stone fruit yellows	Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum 16SrX-F
False codling moth	Thaumatotibia leucotreta
Flavescence dorée	Candidatus Phytoplasma vitis 16SrV-C
Groundnut bud necrosis (GBNV)	Orthotospovirus Groundnut bud necrosis virus
Guatemalan potato moth	Tecia solanivora
Japanese oak wilt	Raffaelea quercivora
Japanese wax scale	Ceroplastes japonicus
Java downy mildew	Peronosclerospora maydis
Khapra beetle	Trogoderma granarium
Late wilt of corn	Magnaporthiopsis maydis
Masson pine moth	Dendrolimus punctatus
No common name, an ambrosia beetle	Megaplatypus mutatus
Oak ambrosia beetle	Platypus quercivorus
Oak processionary moth	Thaumetopoea processionea
Oak splendour beetle	Agrilus biguttatus
Old world bollworm	Helicoverpa armigera
Palm lethal yellowing	Candidatus Phytoplasma palmae 16Sr-IV
Philippine downy mildew	Peronosclerospora philippinensis
Pine processionary moth	Thaumetopoea pityocampa
Pine-tree lappet	Dendrolimus pini
Potato wart	Synchytrium endobioticum
Red ring nematode	Bursaphelenchus cocophilus
Rotbrenner	Pseudopezicula tracheiphila
Scots pine blister rust	Cronartium flaccidum
Siberian silk moth	Dendrolimus sibiricus
Silver Y moth	Autographa gamma
Small brown planthopper	Laodelphax striatellus
South American palm borer	Paysandisia archon
Sunn pest	Eurygaster integriceps
Tomato fruit borer	Neoleucinodes elegantalis
Tomato leafminer	Tuta absoluta
Wheat seed gall nematode	Anguina tritici

APHIS is seeking public feedback on the contents of this list. We will seek comments on a rolling basis, and there is no deadline for submission. If suggesting additions or changes, please provide references/documentation on how the pest/disease meets the definition of “likely to pose a significant risk to the food and agriculture critical infrastructure” in your response. APHIS intends to review the list of animal and plant pests and diseases of concern on an annual basis and update the list as appropriate. APHIS reserves the right to update the list more frequently, as needed.

Send your suggestions for additions or changes to APHISPestDiseaseList@usda.gov.

Emergency Response Plans

APHIS already invested significant time and effort into developing response plans. We will continue this ongoing work, including regular reviews and exercises, to ensure our plans remain up-to-date, understood and ready to use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Clarifications for Stakeholders – Farm Bill Section 12203