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In the News - October 2009
Arkansas County added to federal fire ant quarantine
LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas County in southeast Arkansas is now part of the
federal fire ant quarantine, bringing to 34 the number of quarantined counties
in state.
Arkansas joins Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Clark, Cleveland, Columbia, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Garland, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard,
Jefferson, Lafayette, Lincoln, Little River, Lonoke, Miller, Montgomery, Nevada,
Ouachita, Perry, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Saline, Sevier, Union and Yell counties in
the quarantine.
"The federal order detailing quarantine area additions was issued October 28,"
Kelly Loftin, extension entomologist and associate professor with the University
of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said on Thursday.
The Federal Imported Fire Ant Quarantine was initiated in 1958 to lessen the
expansion of imported fire ants and hybrids.
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS, works with
states to limit the spread of imported fire ant spreads by enforcing the
quarantine.
Items regulated by the Federal Imported Fire Ant Quarantine include:
- Imported fire ant queens and reproducing colonies of imported
fire ants.
- Soil, separately or with other things, except soil samples
shipped to approved laboratories. Potting soil is exempt if
commercially prepared, packaged, and shipped in original container.
- Plants with roots and soil attached, except house plants
maintained indoors and not for sale.
- Grass sod.
- Baled hay and straw that has been stored in contact with soil.
- Used soil-moving equipment.
- Any other products, articles, or means of conveyance of any
character whatsoever not covered by the above, when it is determined
by an inspector that they present a hazard of spread of the imported
fire ant and the person in possession thereof has been so notified.
Additional Imported Fire Ant Quarantine information is available at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/fireants/. For a zip code locator of regulated areas, see
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info//
fireants/zipcode.shtml.
For more information about fire ants, visit the extension's Web site,
www.uaex.edu, or contact your county extension
agent.
The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Arkansas
Division of Agriculture and offers its programs to all eligible persons
regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability,
marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
October 30, 2009
Media Contact: Elizabeth Fortune
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2120
efortune@uaex.edu
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