To:                  State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is issuing a Federal Order that expands the existing imported fire ant (IFA) quarantine areas in Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Virginia. APHIS is taking this action to prevent the interstate spread of IFA.

The following list describes the action in this Federal Order:

=        Arkansas: Extends the IFA quarantine area to the entire county for Logan, Prairie, Sebastian, and White Counties.

=        North Carolina: Extends the IFA quarantine area to the entire county for Davidson, Orange, and Vance Counties.

=        Oklahoma: Extends the IFA quarantine area to the entire county for Pittsburg County.

=        Virginia: Extends the IFA quarantine area to the entire county for Brunswick, Greensville, Isle of Wight, Mecklenburg, and Southampton Counties and the cities of Emporia and Franklin.

APHIS is taking these actions based upon verification from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture; the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; the State of Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry; and the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services that IFA is present and established in the areas listed.

For additional information on the IFA quarantine area, please contact the IFA National Policy Manager, Herbert Bolton, at 301-851-3594.