Top
Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites always use a .gov or .mil domain. Before sharing sensitive information online, make sure you’re on a .gov or .mil site by inspecting your browser’s address (or “location”) bar.

SSL

This site is also protected by an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate that’s been signed by the U.S. government. The https:// means all transmitted data is encrypted  — in other words, any information or browsing history that you provide is transmitted securely.

USDA
United States Department of Agriculture

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  • About
  • Data Gateway
  • Budget & Legislation
  • Contact

GTranslate

EnglishEnglish
EnglishEnglishAfrikaansAfrikaansAlbanianAlbanianAmharicAmharicArabicArabicArmenianArmenianAzerbaijaniAzerbaijaniBasqueBasqueBelarusianBelarusianBengaliBengaliBosnianBosnianBulgarianBulgarianCatalanCatalanCebuanoCebuanoChichewaChichewaChinese (Simplified)Chinese (Simplified)Chinese (Traditional)Chinese (Traditional)CorsicanCorsicanCroatianCroatianCzechCzechDanishDanishDutchDutchEsperantoEsperantoEstonianEstonianFilipinoFilipinoFinnishFinnishFrenchFrenchFrisianFrisianGalicianGalicianGeorgianGeorgianGermanGermanGreekGreekGujaratiGujaratiHausaHausaHawaiianHawaiianHebrewHebrewHindiHindiHmongHmongHungarianHungarianIcelandicIcelandicIgboIgboIndonesianIndonesianIrishIrishItalianItalianJapaneseJapaneseJavaneseJavaneseKannadaKannadaKazakhKazakhKhmerKhmerKurdish (Kurmanji)Kurdish (Kurmanji)KyrgyzKyrgyzLaoLaoLatinLatinLatvianLatvianLithuanianLithuanianLuxembourgishLuxembourgishMacedonianMacedonianMalagasyMalagasyMalayMalayMalayalamMalayalamMalteseMalteseMaoriMaoriMongolianMongolianMyanmar (Burmese)Myanmar (Burmese)NepaliNepaliNorwegianNorwegianPashtoPashtoPersianPersianPolishPolishPortuguesePortuguesePunjabiPunjabiRomanianRomanianRussianRussianSamoanSamoanScottish GaelicScottish GaelicSerbianSerbianSesothoSesothoShonaShonaSindhiSindhiSinhalaSinhalaSlovakSlovakSlovenianSlovenianSomaliSomaliSpanishSpanishSudaneseSudaneseSwahiliSwahiliSwedishSwedishTajikTajikTeluguTeluguThaiThaiTurkishTurkishUkrainianUkrainianUrduUrduUzbekUzbekVietnameseVietnameseWelshWelshXhosaXhosaYiddishYiddishYorubaYorubaZuluZulu
  • Home
  • Topics
  • Programs
  • Grants
  • Tools
  • Newsroom
  • Impacts
  • Resources
  • Search

Search form

You are here

  1. Home
  2. Topics
  3. Invasive Pests and Diseases

Invasive Pests and Diseases

Invasive species constitute one of the most serious economic, social, and environmental threats of the 21st century. Nearly every terrestrial, wetland, and aquatic ecosystem in the United States has been invaded by non-native species, with economic losses estimated at $137 billion per year.  Invasive plants, animals, pests, and diseases are often introduced organisms that impact both natural and managed lands. As the volume of global travel and foreign imports grows, so does the threat of invasive species.

Importance of Invasive Species Research

Healthy, ecosystems are vital to plant, animal, and human life. Natural and managed ecosystems facilitate vital environmental processes such as air and water purification, waste decomposition, and carbon sequestration. Introducing unwanted species can affect the ecosystem health and productivity of natural and managed systems.

Among the more well-known invasive species are:

  • Weeds – leafy spurge, spotted knapweed, purple loosestrife
  • Animals – zebra mussels, feral pigs, the Norway rat, black Asian Carp, Burmese python, brown tree snake
  • Pests – emerald ash borer, Asian long-horned beetle, brown marmorated stink bug, gypsy moth
  • Diseases – soybean rust, white pine blister rust, chestnut blight, citrus  greening disease

The above invasive species can cause widespread destruction, leaving in their wake:

  • Destroyed forests
  • Reduced crop yields
  • Damaged outdoor recreation areas
  • Slowed  trade routes

NIFA’s Impact

NIFA addresses the threats posed by invasive plants, animals, pests and diseases through a range of efforts:

  • Encouraging adoption and implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) techniques
  • Helping farmers and ranchers make pest management decisions that are environmentally friendly
  • Coordinating invasive species efforts at the national level
  • Investing in research to develop trade mechanisms that reduce risk of pest entry
  • Developing and maintaining real-time information on invasive pests 
  • Supporting the development of new research for IPM practitioners
 

Primary Point of Contact:
Robert M. Nowierski

  • Advanced Technologies
  • Animals
  • Business and Economics
  • Education
  • Environment
    • Climate Change
    • Ecosystems
    • Invasive Pests and Diseases
  • Farming and Ranching
  • Food Science
  • Health
  • Human Sciences
  • International
  • Natural Resources
  • Plants

Related Content

Latest Programs

  • Equipment Grants Program (EGP)
  • Urban, Indoor, and Emerging Agriculture
  • AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems

Latest Funding Opportunities

  • Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program (ECDRE) Pre-Application
  • Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Agricultural Systems
  • Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) (Joint NSF) Competitive Grants Program

Latest Blogs

  • Science Big Battle Against Small Enemies
  • How parasites hack victims to seize control of genes in plant-to-plant warfare
  • Stop the Invasion: Unwanted Plants, Bugs, and Other Pests
  • Grants
    • Search for a Funding Opportunity
    • Apply for a Grant
    • Wait for Grant Notification
    • Grant Payments
    • Manage a Grant
    • Close a Grant
    • NIFA Funding by Congressional District
  • Policies & Links
    • FOIA
    • Information Quality
    • Our Performance
    • Google Translate Disclaimer
  • USDA.gov
    • Report Fraud on USDA Contracts
    • Office of the Inspector General
    • Plain Writing
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Open Government
    • Privacy Policy
    • Non-Discrimination Statement
    • WhiteHouse.gov
    • USA.gov
    • No Fear Act Data
  • Search
    • Visit NIFA
    • Capacity Grants
    • Organization Chart
    • Glossary
    • Land-Grant University Website Directory
    • Sitemap
    • Tools
    • Career Opportunities
    • Newsroom
    • Resources
      • Archive
Stay informed!
Subscribe Now
USDA (link is external)
United States Department of Agriculture

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Twitter Facebook GovDelivery
Flickr Youtube USDA RSS
LinkedIn