APHIS Reduces Karnal Bunt (Tilletia indica) Regulated Areas in Maricopa County in Arizona

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FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2025-12
March 20, 2025

 

To:                  State, Tribal, and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is reducing the Karnal bunt (Tilletia indica; KB)-regulated areas in Maricopa County, Arizona, in accordance with 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 301.89 et. seq. This action follows a recent review of field survey results of KB-regulated areas in Arizona.

Specifically, APHIS is removing one field in Maricopa County from the list of regulated areas

because this field has met the five-year cumulative tillage requirement included in the criteria for deregulation listed in 7 CFR § 301.89-3(e)(2). Release of this field from quarantine, including all fields regulated by proximity, will result in the deregulation of 869 field acres (30 fields). None of this acreage is on Tribal land. With this change, the new total regulated area in Arizona is 4,121 field acres (111 fields). The attached Federal Order describes the regulated areas, which are also on the APHIS Karnal Bunt webpage.

Accordingly, there are no more restrictions on the interstate movement of KB-regulated 

articles from these areas; however, other portions of Maricopa and Pinal Counties in Arizona remain regulated. The Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) has established a parallel state quarantine as required by 7 CFR § 301.89-3(b)(1)(i).

KB is a fungal pest that affects wheat quality. APHIS regulates this plant disease because trading partners require that U.S. wheat be certified as grown in areas free of KB. APHIS appreciates the cooperative relationship with the Ak-Chin Indian Community, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the wheat industry, and AZDA in the effort to limit the spread of KB.

APHIS will publish a notice of this change in the Federal Register. For additional information about the KB program, you may contact:

Lynn Evans-Goldner
National Policy Manager
301-851-2286
lynn.evans-goldner@usda.gov

/s/

Dr. Mark L Davidson
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine

Attachment: Federal Order (191.08 KB)