Regulated & Invasive Insect Pests
Idaho agriculture is very diversified with more than 144 different commodities and agricultural products. The value of Idaho ’s agricultural production is around $4 billion. Export markets are a significant sector of the agricultural economy with $789.2 million in sales or about 20 percent of the farm gate total from international trade. ISDA has the responsibility to conduct pest survey and detection projects for a wide array of regulated and invasive pest species.
In the context of an integrated pest management system, ISDA works to exclude, regulate and manage new invaders that may have negative economic, public health and environmental impacts. The Pest Survey and Detection Program maintains an important partnership with USDA Plant Protection and Quarantine and the Idaho Department of Lands. Although ISDA staff is involved in many plant health issues, the department’s primary mission is to protect Idaho’s diverse agricultural interests from new pest threats.
ISDA conducts different types of surveys of selected insect threats including Apple maggot, Cereal leaf beetle, European pine shoot moth, Japanese beetle, Mexican bean beetle, Asian and European Gypsy moth. ISDA staff utilizes appropriate trapping and survey methods that cover the entire state when needed. There is an ongoing effort to release biological control agents to suppress cereal leaf beetle in the major grain producing areas of Idaho. In conducting field inspections for export certification or nursery inspections ISDA staff is constantly on the watch for new exotic pest threats.
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