Grants and Contracts Details
Description
A primary objective of the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) program is to
safeguard our nation’s food and environmental resources against exotic pests that threaten our
production and ecological systems. These surveys increase the likelihood of early detection
which then increases the chances of eradication of the pest problem before it can spread to other
areas of the country. These surveys also establish pest-free areas which promote the export of
goods internationally.
The Infrastructure part of this project will allow these objectives to be accomplished by:
• Partially supporting the State Survey Coordinator position. The SSC, Dr. Janet Lensing,
will:
o Coordinate Kentucky’s CAPS invasive pest surveys and infrastructure project.
o Coordinate Kentucky’s PPA 7721 proposals, budgets, projects, and reports.
o Coordinate pest surveys which do not fall under CAPS or PPA 7721 such as
imported fire ant and spongy moth surveys.
o For all of the projects listed above, the SSC will write project proposals, create
and manage project budgets, manage and, in some cases, conduct surveys,
manage samples, submit data to the appropriate databases, and prepare
accomplishment reports.
o Manage the permanent full-time University of Kentucky, Office of the State
Entomologist (OSE) personnel who will devote work time to invasive pest
surveys. She will also manage independent contractors who will perform some of
the work in more remote areas of the state.
o Act as a liaison with the Kentucky USDA APHIS PPQ Office and other agencies.
o Enter all CAPS, PPA 7721, and other line item pest survey-generated data into
approved databases. In addition, she will enter data from other qualified entities
such as USDA APHIS PPQ, Forest Service, university extension and state
agencies such as the Kentucky Division of Forestry as those data become
available.
o Distribute educational materials and share communications with state and federal
entities, university Cooperative Extension Services, the agricultural community,
and the public as appropriate.
o Educate the public and relevant industries through speaking engagements, trade
show booths, the Kentucky CAPS web page (www.UnluckyForKentucky.com)
and Facebook page (Kentucky Office of the State Entomologist).
o Travel to relevant trainings/meetings/conferences, possibly along with other OSE
personnel.
Survey 1: Soybean Commodity Survey
The survey will take place in western and central Kentucky. Two or three University of
Kentucky Office of the State Entomologist (OSE) personnel, including the SSC, will conduct
this survey in central Kentucky. One independent contractor will conduct this survey in western
Kentucky. We will obtain permission from soybean growers to place pheromone traps in their
fields and estimate that 10 soybean fields will be included in the survey. One trap designed to
capture each of 5 insect pests will be placed in each location in late spring/early summer and
removed in fall. The surveyors will set the traps, change the lures according to protocol, monitor,
and remove the traps. They will conduct a visual survey for Yellow Witchweed during each visit.
Survey 2: Corn Commodity Survey
The survey will take place in the western region of the state which is identified by USDA-NASS
(http://www.nass.usda.gov) as having the greatest amount of corn acreage planted. One
independent contractor will be hired to conduct this survey in western Kentucky. We will obtain
permission from corn growers to place pheromone traps in their fields and estimate that 15
cornfields will be included in the survey. One trap designed to capture each of 4 insect pests will
be placed in each location in late spring/early summer and removed in fall. The surveyor will set
the traps, change the lures according to protocol, monitor, and remove the traps.
Survey 3: Forest Pest Survey
This survey will take place in forests across the state of Kentucky. Five UK OSE employees,
including the State Survey Coordinator, will conduct this survey in approximately 20 forested
sites across the state. One trap designed to capture each of 4 insect pests will be placed in each
location in late spring/early summer and removed in fall. The surveyors will set the traps, change
the lures according to protocol, monitor, and remove the traps. They will also conduct visual
surveys for 2 other pests during each site visit.
Survey 4: Nursery and Ornamental Survey
This survey will take place in nurseries across the state of Kentucky. Five UK OSE employees,
including the State Survey Coordinator, and 1 independent contractor will conduct this survey in
approximately 10 nurseries across the state. One trap designed to capture each of 4 insect pests
will be placed in each location in late spring/early summer and removed in fall. The surveyors
will set the traps, change the lures according to protocol, monitor, and remove the traps. They
will also conduct visual surveys for 4 other pests during each site visit.
Status | Active |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 1/1/25 → 12/31/25 |
Funding
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: $22,064.00
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