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April is invasive species month
Story Date: 4/3/2013
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Source: NATIONAL ASSOC. OF STATE DEPTS. OF AGRICULTURE, 4/2/13
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has proclaimed April as "Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month." All month, APHIS and its state partners, in most instances the State Departments of Agriculture, will highlight how invasive species can enter the United States and spread, and how the general public can take simple, specific actions to help keep these hungry pests from becoming established in the US.
Invasive pests and diseases are non-native species that cause-or are likely to cause-harm to the economy, the environment or human health. Devastating invasive pests and diseases, such as insects, disease-causing microorganisms, snails, slugs, mites, microscopic worms, weed seeds and fungal spores, often hitch rides on things people move and pack. Common pathways for pests to arrive in the US include passenger baggage; plants and plant parts like fruit, vegetables and bud wood; Internet-purchased plants and plant products; firewood; and outdoor gear, among many others.
The cooperative programs run by state and federal partners are intended to address the invasive pests and diseases that, when not controlled, have cost the United States billions of dollars in lost agricultural products, closed export markets and damaged ecosystems. The importance of these programs cannot be overstated nor can the role of the public, once they aware of these risks, in preventing the spread of "hungry pests."
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