APHIS Amends Karnal Bunt (Tilletia indica) Regulated Areas in La Paz, Maricopa, and Pinal Counties in Arizona

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2021-27
October 22, 2021

 

Subject:           APHIS Amends Karnal Bunt (Tilletia indica) Regulated Areas in La Paz, Maricopa, and Pinal Counties in Arizona

To:                   State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending the Karnal bunt regulated areas in La Paz, Maricopa, and Pinal Counties in Arizona.

Following a review of the results from the 2020 survey of Karnal bunt-regulated areas and updates to the United States Geological Survey’s Public Land Survey System, APHIS is reducing the regulated area in Maricopa and Pinal Counties in accordance with the criteria listed in 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 301.89-3(f). Specifically, APHIS is removing 1,086 acres from Maricopa County and 2,728 acres from Pinal County from the list of regulated areas. There will be no more restrictions on the interstate movement of Karnal bunt-regulated articles from these areas. However, other portions of Maricopa and Pinal Counties remain regulated.

In addition, APHIS is adding 250 acres in La Paz County to the list of regulated areas. APHIS is adding these fields, not because of Karnal bunt detection, but because they are now productive agricultural land within a regulated area. We have determined that these fields meet the criteria for regulation outlined in 7 CFR § 301.89-3(e). These added acres in La Paz County are part of the Colorado River Indian Tribe Reservation that is home to the Chemehuevi, Hopi, Mohave, and Navajo Tribes.

APHIS is taking this regulatory action to prevent the spread of Karnal bunt from Arizona. Karnal bunt is a pest that affects wheat quality. APHIS regulates this plant disease because many trading partners require that U.S. wheat be certified as grown in areas free of Karnal bunt. More information on Karnal bunt is available at the following website:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/kb

For additional information about the Karnal bunt program, please call National Policy Manager, Lynn Evans-Goldner, at (301) 851-2286 or lynn.evans-goldner@usda.gov.

/s/

Dr. Osama A. El-Lissy
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine

Attachment: Federal Order