USDA Provides More than $1.4 Million to Support Projects that Protect New York Food Supply and Natural Resources

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WASHINGTON, February 6, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating more than $1.4 million to New York as part of a nationwide effort to strengthen the country’s infrastructure for pest detection, surveillance, and mitigation, as well as protect the U.S. nursery system. Through the authority of the Plant Protection Act Section 7721, USDA is providing more than $70 million in funding this year. These funds will support 374 projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.

“New York has more than 33,000 farms, which span almost 7 million acres. That’s more than 20% of the state’s land dedicated to agriculture,” said USDA Under Secretary Jenny Moffitt. “The land produces more than 40 varieties of apples and has almost 700 farmers markets. Protecting New York’s agricultural industry is critical. These projects will help protect New York’s agricultural resources, which will also protect our national food security.”

These funds will support projects covering a range of plant health and pest mitigation activities, including, but not limited to:

  • $520,000 to conduct orchard, grape and stone fruit commodity surveys;
  • $266,448 to support National Clean Plant Network projects that protect specialty crops, including grapes;
  • $306,270 to support the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s emerald ash borer emergency response efforts for the fourth year;
  • $285,298 to conduct National Plant Diagnostic Network and State Diagnostician Preparedness training;
  • $190,955 to update regulatory activities for golden nematode (Globodera rostochiensis) management; and
  • $172,200 for molecular research toward developing an alternative to insecticides for wood-boring insect management.

Since 2009, USDA has supported more than 5,520 projects and provided nearly $870 million in PPA 7721 funding. These projects help USDA, and its partners quickly detect and respond to invasive plant pests and diseases. They also help our country maintain the essential infrastructure in place that enables U.S. specialty crop producers to have access to healthy, certified disease-free plants.

View the fiscal year 2024 Plant Protection Act’s Section 7721 spending plans online: www.aphis.usda.gov/ppa-projects.

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APHIS protects the health of U.S. agriculture and natural resources against invasive pests and diseases, regulates genetically engineered crops, administers the Animal Welfare Act, and helps people and wildlife coexist. We also certify the health of U.S. agricultural exports and resolve phytosanitary and sanitary issues to open, expand, and maintain markets for U.S plant and animal products.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.