SCOPE B (Core Activities / Part II Surveys): Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey

A primary objective of the CAPS program is to safeguard our nation's food and environmental security from exotic pests that threaten our production and ecological systems. The purpose of this project is to coordinate Kentucky's CAPS program, the State CAPS Committee, and act as liaison with the Kentucky PPQ Office; work with other state, county, federal, and public entities to manage cooperative pest programs and to further the Homeland Security Initiative by protecting our food production and natural resources from exotic pests and biotelTorism. Funds for this project will support a state survey coordinator and temporary surveyors to conduct survey work to accomplish the following objectives: Coordinate Kentucky's CAPS program, the State CAPS Committee, and act as liaison with the Kentucky PPQ Office; work with other state, county, federal, and public entities to manage cooperative pest programs. Coordinate participation by agencies involved in surveys. Ensure quality and timeliness of entry into NAPIS of survey generated data. Produce fact sheets, educational material, and pest distribution maps for each pest as appropriate. Distribute educational materials and share communications with state and federal entities, university Cooperative Extension Services, the agricultural community, and the public as appropriate. Survey for a "Top 12" pest and provide outreach to concemed parties on state and federal levels. Conduct pest detection surveys (see following pages for detailed descriptions and individual project budgets). Support other PPQ programs with NAPIS data entry and GIS products upon request Further the Homeland Security Initiative by protecting our food production and natural resources from exotic pests and bioterrorism. Funds from the CAPS program will enable these objectives to be accomplished through hiring seasonal surveyors to conduct survey work, fund infrastructure improvements and provide the supplies necessary to create training materials for surveyors and educational materials for the public. The state survey coordinator will also be supported on these funds and will be involved in coordinating and training surveyors, creating electronic and printed publications, and ensuring quality and timeliness of entry into NAPIS of survey generated data.