Help Safeguard America’s Plants: Apply for PPA 7721 Funding

Press Release

Contact: 
APHISpress@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 11, 2025—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is accepting proposals for Plant Protection Act Section 7721 (PPA 7721) funding beginning today. These projects will help protect American agricultural and natural resources from invasive plant pests and diseases.

Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program (PPDMDPP)

PPDMDPP funding supports projects that protect American agriculture and natural resources from invasive pests and diseases through early detection, rapid response, and innovation. We invite State governments, Tribal nations, universities, nonprofits, and private organizations to submit ideas for strengthening our nation’s plant health defenses. Applicants can submit suggestions for PPDMDPP funding from June 11 through August 6, 2025.

Applicants will use ServiceNow to apply for PPDMDPP funding. Users must have an eAuthentication account to access the PPA 7721 application page. APHIS will offer virtual training webinars on how to use ServiceNow in the next few weeks.

“Protecting America’s crops requires innovation, collaboration, and early action,” said Dr. Lauren Stump, Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. “We’re empowering our partners across the country to bring forward bold ideas, strengthen our nation’s rapid response capabilities, and ensure that every community has the tools they need to protect our agricultural future. Together, we can build a strong, more resilient plant health system to ensure American agriculture remains the best in the world for generations to come.”

The PPDMDPP FY 2026 Implementation Plan outlines six strategic goal areas for funding projects:

1. Enhancing plant pest/disease analysis and survey
2. Targeting domestic inspection activities at vulnerable points in the safeguarding continuum
3. Enhancing and strengthening pest identification and technology
4. Safeguarding nursery production
5. Conducting targeted outreach and education
6. Enhancing mitigation and rapid response capabilities

Those interested in submitting funding suggestions should visit www.aphis.usda.gov/funding/ppdmdpp for resources and guidance, including the FY 2026 Implementation Plan, frequently asked questions, templates, help session webinar schedule, and more. 

National Clean Plant Network (NCPN)

This year, at least $8 million of PPA 7721 funding will support the NCPN program. Network plant centers protect healthy U.S. agriculture by providing clean plant propagative material free of targeted pathogens that cause economic loss. Nurseries and growers use clean planting stock to establish orchards, vineyards, groves, and other commercial plantings. NCPN program priorities include the following:

• Promoting the introduction, diagnosis, treatment, maintenance, and distribution of clean plant materials for commercial development
• Optimizing the implementation of new methods and best practices while increasing the awareness of the importance, availability, and use of clean plants
• Building partnerships with research, extension, regulatory, and industry stakeholders to enhance clean plant center services and capacity

The open period to apply for NCPN program funding runs from June 11 through September 3, 2025. Funding is available for land-grant universities, non-land-grant colleges of agriculture, State agricultural experiment stations, State and Federal agencies, and nongovernmental organizations. Proposals focused on specialty crops have funding priority. Learn more about the NCPN program at www.aphis.usda.gov/funding/ncpn.

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