Crop Biosecurity and Emergency Management

Last Modified: March 15, 2024

APHIS' Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program safeguards U.S. agriculture and natural resources from the introduction, establishment, and spread of plant pests and noxious weeds.

Emergency Response and Management

As the lead Federal agency for plant health emergencies, PPQ works cooperatively with national and international plant protection organizations; Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies; universities; industries; and private entities in developing and implementing science-based framework designed to provide optimum protection against invasive pests and diseases.

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The National Plant Health Emergency Management Framework describes how PPQ and its cooperators respond to plant health and homeland security emergencies. It covers the roles and responsibilities of PPQ program managers at the national, regional, and State levels, Science and Technology, State and Territory plant protection agencies, and Tribes. The framework also describes the components of PPQ's safeguarding system, including preparedness, pest exclusion, response, and recovery elements.

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The Emergency Response Manual provides guidance to emergency responders when following the Incident Command System (ICS) to manage a threat to plant health and natural resources. The manual describes how ICS is used to develop and organize a response; instructions for assigning specific responsibilities within the Command and General staff; pertinent authorities related to plant health emergencies; and lists of necessary activities for onsite incident management.

Pest Exclusion

PPQ works with trading partners and international plant protection organizations to develop and implement early detection and control strategies designed to prevent the entry of invasive pests and diseases into the United States. In addition, PPQ partners with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to ensure the continued success of agricultural inspection operations at all U.S. ports of entry.

Want to bring plants or plant products into the United States? Learn about APHIS regulations so you can import your products safely and legally.

International Services, the overseas arm of USDA-APHIS, operates in over 25 countries around the world to keep agriculture healthy and trade markets open.

The Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Program's mission is to conduct exotic plant pest surveys through a national network of cooperators and stakeholders to protect American agriculture and natural resources.

Preparedness

PPQ works with Federal agencies, State and local governments, and industries to prepare, build, and sustain operational capacity and capability including early detection, timely diagnostics, and effective control strategies against plant health threats and incursions.

The National Identification Services (NIS) coordinates and provides national-level identifications of plant pests in support of USDA's regulatory programs.

The National Plant Diagnostic Network is a consortium of diagnostic labs in all U.S. States and Territories protecting national plant health with a distributed ability to provide timely quality diagnostics of plant pests and pathogens.

Response

PPQ works with Federal agencies, State, Tribes, and local governments, and industries to implement coordinated actions designed to contain, control, or eradicate plant pests and diseases. PPQ uses the Incident Command System (ICS), which provides responding agencies and entities a unified strategy for working together in response to plant health emergencies.

The Environmental Compliance Team supports the Agency's pest and disease control programs by coordinating program compliance with environmental laws, regulations, policies, and guidance.

Recovery

After an emergency response is complete, PPQ works with Federal agencies; State, Tribal, and local governments; and the private sector to develop and implement systems designed to provide long-term stability and protection from the pest or disease that caused the emergency. Recovery includes plant health regulations, eradication, best management practices, and restoration plans.