Source: NORTH AMERICA PLANT PROTECTION ORGANIZATION, 10/25/21

Country: United States
Title: Imported Fire Ant (Solenopis invicta Buren, S. richteri Forel, and hybrids of these species): Expansion of Quarantine Areas in North Carolina and Tennessee
Contact: Herbert Bolton, IFA National Policy Manager, at 301-851-3594

Report:
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 North Carolina and Tennessee. APHIS is taking this action to prevent the interstate spread of IFA.

The following list describes the action in this Federal Order:
• North Carolina: Extends the IFA quarantine area to the entire county for Alamance, Burke, Guilford, Jackson, and McDowell Counties.
• Tennessee: Extends the IFA quarantine area to the entire county for Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Gibson, Grainger, Henry, Lauderdale, Montgomery, Putnam, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, and Weakley Counties.

APHIS is taking these actions based upon verification from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Consumer and Industry Services that IFA is present and established in the areas listed.

Under IPPC standards, Solenopsis invicta Buren, S. richteri Forel, and hybrids of these species is a pest that is present: not widely distributed and under official control in the United States.