USDA/APHIS seeks suggestions for fiscal year 2023 Plant Protection Act Section 7721 and National Clean Plant Network Program Projects

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) invites stakeholders to submit project suggestions for fiscal year (FY) 2023 Plant Protection Act Section 7721 (PPA 7721) funding. The open period for submitting suggestions for Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program funding runs from June 13 through Aug. 1, 2022. APHIS will provide $75 million in plant protection funding for these projects, including at least $7.5 million for projects under the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN).

Under the PPA 7721’s Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program APHIS provides funding to its partners to help them prevent, detect, and mitigate invasive plant pests and diseases. APHIS, along with other governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, industry organizations, the National Plant Board, State departments of agriculture, and Tribal organizations developed the FY 2023 Implementation Plan. The plan outlines six strategic goal areas for funding projects:

1. Enhancing plant pest/disease analysis and survey;

2. targeting domestic inspection activities at vulnerable points in the safeguarding continuum;

3. enhancing and strengthening pest identification and technology;

4. safeguarding nursery production;

5. conducting targeted outreach and education; and

6. enhancing mitigation and rapid response capabilities.

Those interested in submitting projects should visit www.aphis.usda.gov/ppa-projects to get resources and guidance, including the FY 2023 Implementation Plan, templates, help session webinar schedule, frequently asked questions, and more.

The FY 2023 Implementation Plan also describes priorities for projects supporting PPA 7721’s National Clean Plant Network. The NCPN is a network of clean plant centers for diagnostic and pathogen elimination services to produce clean propagative plant material and maintain blocks of pathogen-tested plant material in sites throughout the United States. NCPN program priorities include:

• Promoting the introduction, diagnosis, treatment, establishment and release of clean plant materials for commercial development;

• optimizing the implementation of new methods and best practices while increasing the awareness of the importance, availability, and use of clean plants; and

• developing partnerships with university extension offices, state departments of agriculture, and other entities to interact with commercial nurseries, industry associations and producers.

The open period to apply for NCPN program funding runs from June 13 through Sept. 2, 2022. Funding is available for land-grant universities, non-land-grant colleges of agriculture, State agricultural experiment stations, State and Federal agencies, and non- governmental organizations. Proposals focused on specialty crops have funding priority. Visit www.aphis.usda.gov/ppa-projects to learn more about the NCPN program.