Creating Awareness of and Preventing Invasive Pests

Creating Awareness of and Preventing Invasive Pests

I’m KayDee Gilkey with the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report.

Invasive pests are non-native species (whether plants insects or diseases) that feed on agricultural crops, trees and other plants. Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Pest Program Manager Brad White says that everyone is responsible for this issue and that public awareness is essential to prevention.

White: “The primary message on invasive species is that the best way to deal with them is to not have them in the first place. The cheapest, the most effective way to mitigate against invasive species is just not to let them in, in the first place.”

White shares that anyone is capable of moving invasive species without even knowing it. Typical spring and summer fun activities like hiking, horseback riding, ATVing or boating can transport weed seeds or insects from one area to another.

White: “One of the reasons it is important to agriculture is that a lot of times the problems we bring into the state as individuals establish in our urban environments and then can move out into agricultural and natural environments. If you think about Purple Loosestrife or English Ivy or Gypsy Moth, some of those things start as urban issues and turn into rural issues later.”

White shares that the public can learn more through the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s informational website hungrypests.com or go to your state’s Department of Ag website.

I’m KayDee Gilkey with the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.