GOAL II: To Promote a Safe and Secure Food and Fiber System.

Means and Strategies: To successfully accomplish the research activities under this goal, ARS will need the level of human, fiscal, physical, and information resources portrayed in the budget estimates for fiscal years 2002 and 2003.

In FY 2002, ARS received $15,425,600 in budgeted program increases. Funding includes increases for emerging and exotic diseases and pests of plants and animals, agricultural genomes/bioinformatic tools, biotechnology risk assessments and invasive species (weeds/pests).

The proposed funding in FY 2003 includes $35,557,000 in budgeted program increases. Funding includes increases for counter-terrorism, emerging and exotic diseases of plants/animals, agricultural genomes, biotechnology risk assessment, control of invasive species, and agricultural genetic resources.

Verification and Validation: ARS conducts a series of review processes designed to ensure the relevance and quality of its research work and to maintain the highest possible standards for its scientists. A more detailed description of the evaluation plans can be found in the introduction to this plan.

OBJECTIVE 2.1: Secure food and fiber system: "Maintain a safe and secure food and fiber system that meets the Nation's needs now and in the future."

Indicators:

During FY 2003, ARS will provide recommendations for alternative crops in traditional wheat fallow areas to increase overall productivity.

In FY 2003, ARS is requesting an increase of

$1,000,000 to determine rates of gene flow, including transgenes, from crops to nearby vegetation.

$750,000 to develop and test novel strategies to prevent pest populations becoming resistant to plant- incorporated protectants.

During FY 2002, ARS will develop biological and engineering strategies to manage animals during extreme weather events to improve survival, health, and well-being and transfer the information to producers.

During FY 2003, ARS will

develop practical information for ventilating broiler houses at high air velocity without additional fans or electrical energy.

identify optimum temperatures for minimizing the detrimental effects of disease exposure for use by producers to better manage and house piglets.

provide recommendations on the substitution of renewable resources, such as green and animal manures, for nonrenewable resources that increase productivity above current levels.

STRATEGY 2.1.2: Plant, animal, and ecosystems protection: Improve integrated management systems that contribute to the protection of plants, animals, and ecosystems against pests (insects, weeds, pathogens, etc.).

During FY 2002, ARS will

complete the demonstration of biologically-based integrated pest management (IPM)strategies to control fire ants in South Carolina.

complete the demonstration of the effectiveness of mosquito traps, Mosquito Magnets and Dragon Fly to monitor the West Nile Virus vectors in New York.

demonstrate the application of its ELISA test to distinguish screwworms from other blood-sucking flies.

develop improved understanding of pathogenesis and control of diseases caused by species of the fungus Sclerotinia.

describe the genetic variability, epidemiology, and ecology of diseases caused by Xylella species, including Pierce's disease of grapes, and citrus, variegated chlorosis, almond leaf scorch, and others.

improve genetic resistance in soybean to the soybean cyst nematode. Transfer improved germplasm to seed producers.

develop improved detection and identification methods for viruses, bacteria, and fungi causing plant diseases. Emphasis will be on citrus canker, plum pox, bronze wilt to cotton, and soybean rust.

develop improved methods for control and management of disease losses in plants using improved cultural, chemical, and biological control systems and increased host plant resistance.

develop basic knowledge about the ecology, epidemiology, and genetic variability of plant pathogens to identify potential points of control.

continue to develop IPM components and systems as alternatives to pesticides that endanger human health and the environment.

continue development and expansion of areawide pest management programs demonstrating alternatives to at-risk and other environmentally hazardous pesticides.

continue to provide critical identifications of newly found pest species, provide severely needed taxonomic revisions of critical groups of insects, identify new natural control agents, and produce updated keys to agriculturally important insect groups.

use classical and augmentative biological control approaches, along with conserving natural enemies to suppress invasive insect pests and weeds with parasites, predators, and pathogens. This includes using ARS overseas laboratories to collect, evaluate, and ship new exotic biological control agents to ARS quarantine laboratories, and develop methods to conserve, mass produce, and deliver those that are beneficial.

determine pest and natural enemy (parasite, predator, and microbial) biologies (behavior, host range, interactions with plant signaling), persistence, and impact to improve use and establishment of natural enemies for biological control. This includes methods that employ remote-sensing or modeling.

develop methods for manipulating the genomes of insect pests and associated organisms (including genomic sequencing and developing methods for transferring genes into insect cells) to be used in biologically-based control strategies.

develop and demonstrate improved cultural, chemical, and biological control methods for control and management of soil-borne diseases.

develop and demonstrate improved methods for applying fumigants to minimize the hazard to workers and the general public.

develop biologically-based integrated weed management systems.

make control measures available for suppressing tall whitetop, an exotic invasive weed that threatens temperate desert rangelands in the Western United States.

acquire and test in quarantine a biological control agent for yellow star thistle, a widespread weed that is infesting Western rangeland.

develop improved methods for biological controls of invasive weeds on rangeland.

demonstrate new methods to reduce leafy spurge, an invasive weed, on rangeland in the Central Great Plains to enable the native species to reestablish.

develop alternative weed management systems for irrigated peanuts with less dependence on herbicides.

In FY 2002, ARS received an increase of

$1,425,000 to rapidly identify, prevent, and control emerging and exotic plant diseases and pests.

$640,000 to research systematics of invasive weeds and insects.

$1,280,000 to develop new biological information and species discovery.

$880,000 to develop integrated weed management systems.

$1,200,000 to formulate and deliver pathogens for biological control of insects and weeds.

$500,000 for research to thwart plant pathogens that could significantly harm agricultural productivity and U.S. trade.

During FY 2003, ARS will

develop improved methods for control and management of disease losses in plants using improved cultural, chemical, and biological control systems and increased host plant resistance.

develop basic knowledge about the ecology, epidemiology, and genetic variability of plant pathogens to identify potential points of control.

develop improved detection and identification methods for viruses, bacteria, and fungi-causing plant diseases.

describe the genetic variability, epidemiology, and ecology of diseases.

continue to develop and demonstrate insect control technologies as alternatives to pesticides that endanger human health and the environment.

continue development and expansion of areawide pest management programs demonstrating alternatives to at-risk and other environmentally hazardous pesticides.

continue to provide critical identifications of newly found pest species, provide urgently needed taxonomic revisions of critical groups of insects, identify new natural control agents, and produce updated keys to agriculturally important insect groups.

use classical and augmentative biological control approaches, along with conserving natural enemies to suppress invasive insect and weed pests with parasites, predators, and pathogens. This includes using ARS overseas laboratories to collect, evaluate, and ship new exotic biological control agents to ARS quarantine laboratories. This also includes developing methods to conserve, mass produce, and deliver those that are beneficial; and determining pest and natural enemy biologies (behavior, host range, interactions with plant signaling), persistence, and impact.

develop methods for manipulating the genomes of insect pests and associated organisms (includes genomic sequencing and development of methods for transferring genes into insect cells) to be used in biologically-based control strategies.

develop and/or demonstrate biological or ecologically-based integrated weed management systems for cropping systems and rangelands.

develop new methods to mass-produce and deliver beneficial insects, such as parasites, predators, and pathogens of weed pests. This includes formulation of artificial diets and fermentation (or cell culture) systems for production; invention of automated processing and harvesting equipment; and improving release systems for distribution.

develop and demonstrate improved cultural, chemical, and biological control methods for control and management of soil-borne diseases.

develop and demonstrate improved methods for applying fumigants to minimize the hazard to workers and the public.

purify and biochemically characterize the supposedly bluetongue virus receptor in biting midges and determine whether selected species of biting midges are susceptible to infection with vesicular stomatitis virus.

continue work toward developing a genetic sexing strain of screwworms, using both classical genetic and transgenic approaches for use in the mass rearing facility in the Program for the Eradication of Screwworms.

identify a replacement repellent for DEET, a replacement fabric impregnate for permethrin, and continue to discover and develop spatial repellents and attractant inhibitors as new technologies for protecting animals and humans from attack by blood-feeding arthropods.

screen a biting midge salivary gland gene library, select potential bluetongue virus receptor genes, and characterize salivary proteins that have an effect on bluetongue virus infectivity.

In FY 2003, ARS is requesting an increase of

$450,000 for systematics of insect pests and natural enemies of invasive insects and weeds.

$320,000 to develop attractants and other methods for controlling invasive insects.

$1,930,000 to develop biological control programs for invasive insects and weeds.

During FY 2002, ARS will

develop wild alfalfa accessions from China as a possible cultivated crop and begin field evaluations for productivity and survivability.

complete the identification in Turkey of natural enemies of yellow star thistle, a major invasive weed, and ship promising species to the U.S. for quarantine evaluation.

identify threatened germplasm in natural habitats as well as in genebanks as a vital first step for conserving these genetic resources.

improve methods for preserving beneficial microbes, insects, and wild relatives of crops in natural habitats.

perfect methods for maintaining germplasm over long term under conditions (low temperature and/or controlled atmosphere) that ensure viability, health, genetic integrity, and uniformity, as well as providing a sufficient supply for research and breeding.

evaluate protocols for storing DNA or nuclei isolated from plant and insect cells.

develop methods for maintaining injurious microbial and insect germplasm in combination with the host plants they attack.

identify sources of new genetic variability and conduct genetic studies to detect novel genes for crop improvement.

develop more efficient and effective means for multiplying germplasm stored in genebanks and for monitoring its viability, health, and genetic content.

where appropriate, designate core subsets for crop collections to improve accessibility of the genetic diversity within each crop and their wild relatives.

During FY 2003, ARS will

evaluate multi-year results concerning differences in tannin and hydrogen cyanide production among Lotus species for potential beneficial effects to grazing animals.

complete publications that document the genetic variation that exists among native grass accessions from preserved remnant prairies, and document that in situ preservation of prairie plant germplasm using preserved remnant prairies is an effective mechanism for preserving prairie germplasm.

identify new sources of genetic variability and acquire new accessions to enhance the diversity of plant germplasm collections.

acquire and safeguard additional microbial and insect germplasm to enhance the use of beneficial microbes and insects.

identify and characterize genes for resistance to develop host plant resistance in crop plants.

improve methods of evaluating host resistance, e.g., identifying molecular markers for resistance.

identify new sources of resistance genes through the integration of resistance genes by conventional breeding and bioengineered methods.

In FY 2003, ARS is requesting an increase of

$1,000,000 for genetic resource acquisition and distribution.

$2,900,000 for genetic resource maintenance and characterization.

$1,000,000 for genetic resource evaluation.

Indicators:

During FY 2002, ARS will

evaluate and report on the results of transgenic modification of two alfalfa genes to improve growth, protein content, nitrogen fixation, and nitrogen utilization.

identify molecular genetic markers for cold temperature growth in Leymus wild ryes, salt tolerance in alfalfa, and apomictic behavior in sandberg bluestem so that populations can be screened to identify germplasm having these desired characteristics so that seedling vigor, productivity, and ground cover can be improved.

perfect and implement highly efficient methods for determining DNA sequence variability in genomes.

arrange in order expressed sequence-tagged sites (ESTs) in crop genomes, and discover their associated biological functions.

maintain genetic and genomic data on well conceived databases constructed with powerful, up-to-date information management software, and implemented on high speed, high capacity computer networks accessible via standard software from the Internet.

construct and maintain more precise physical, genetic, and transcript genomic maps to estimate the number of genes that constitute crop genomes, the genomic location of these genes, and to elucidate comparative gene function, structure, and organization.

distribute genomic probes and DNA primers as tools for more effectively mapping and identifying genes.

incorporate the most modern and effective methods of high volume gene sequencing, genetic mapping, gene expression assays, and related techniques into genomic research programs.

During FY 2003, ARS will

develop differential display techniques to identify genes that regulate feed intake and energy metabolism of livestock.

correlate changes in body composition with genes associated with lean and fat deposition in swine and milk production.

determine target genes for enhancing mammary gland development in heifers, and to increase persistence of milk production.

demonstrate in transgenic cattle the effectiveness of a gene to prevent Staphylococcus aureus mastitis.

complete the placement of 1,000 markers within known genes on the USDA/ARS channel catfish linkage map using ARS reference populations.

develop at least 200 micro-satellite markers and at least 100 random sequence tag sites for mapping the rainbow trout genome.

identify in alfalfa and Medicago truncatula, DNA-base sequences related to nitrogen and carbon assimilation, plant disease response, and nutritional stress.

exploit genome sequence information to identify valuable genes in germplasm collections.

develop new DNA markers linked to disease resistance and weather stress tolerance to accelerate plant germplasm evaluation and breeding.

In FY 2003, ARS is requesting an increase of

$3,000,000 to identify the genes that influence disease resistance, reproduction, nutrition, and other economically important production traits in livestock and poultry.

$2,950,000 for plant/crop genome sequencing.

Indicators:

During FY 2002, ARS will

identify bermuda, fescue, and rye turf-grasses cultivars with improved tolerance to athletic field traffic and diseases, and evaluate management regimes for using these cultivars effectively.

release 4 or 5 new cultivars of clover and trefoil better adapted to the Eastern U.S.

release germplasm for an alfalfa line with improved pest resistance due to the selection of the genes for high density glandular hairs on the seedpod which protect the plant.

release a new dallisgrass cultivar resistant to ergot disease and a klein-grass cultivar for use in the Southeastern U.S.

release new forage and grain pearl millet hybrids with stable disease resistance and increased yields under nonirrigated conditions.

develop new crops from "wild" plants and microbes, and new genotypes of conventional crops, to further diversify the Nation's agricultural production base and human diets, and to provide valuable new products (e.g., nonallergenic rubber from guayule latex).

identify new crops for medicinal uses.

enhance the genetic base of genepools through programs of recurrent genetic recombination and selection so they can be more easily used by breeders.

incorporate into genepools new genetic variability continually from germplasm in nature, in genebanks, or in traditional farmers? fields so as to decrease genetic vulnerability to pests, pathogens, and other threats.

strengthen breeding and evaluation programs for minor crops, such as certain vegetables and fruits which comprise an important part of the U.S. diet, and for nursery and floral crops, which are of increasing economic importance.

During FY 2003,ARS will

release a new grama grass cultivar for use in the Central Great Plains.

release a new fairway-type crested wheatgrass for use in the Central and Northern Great Plains.

release a switchgrass, big blue stem, and indiangrass germplasm based on collections from remnant prairies for use in the Midwest and Great Plains for USDA Hardiness Zones 4, 5, and 6.

release a new cultivar of kleingrass for use on pastures and grasslands of Texas and possibly other areas of the Southern Great Plains for livestock production and wildlife habitat.

complete the first field studies of maize-tripsacum hybrids evaluating the impact of Tripsacum dactyloides genomic material on disease and insect resistance and tolerance to environmental extremes in the Southern Great Plains and Midwest region of the United States.

develop new methods and tools to identify end product traits desired by consumers, such as speciality oils and grain qualities.

strengthen breeding and evaluation programs and identify new sources of diversity for minor crops, such as certain vegetables and fruits which comprise an important part of the U.S. diet, and for nursery and floral crops, which are of increasing economic, ecological, and social importance.

develop and release germplasm with enhanced resistance to pests, pathogens, and weather damage.

enhance the genetic base through programs of recurrent genetic recombination and selection for viral resistance.

Indicators:

During FY 2002, ARS will

develop more effective statistical genetic approaches for analyzing genetic marker data.

conduct germplasm evaluations to identify and develop novel "high value" industrial or ornamental traits, increased adaptation, vigor, and nutritional value, enhanced productive potential, capacity, and efficiency, and improved resistance to environmental extremes, pests, and diseases.

perfect more efficient and effective germplasm evaluation methods which exploit genetic associations between useful traits and molecular (DNA) markets to facilitate crop improvement.

develop new fundamental knowledge about gene function and interactions and mechanisms of gene regulation.

develop new knowledge about methods for gene transfer across wide genetic barriers and the mechanisms by which the process can be precisely controlled.

describe the structure, function, and regulation of agriculturally important genes in model plants and crop plants.

In FY 2002, ARS received an increase of

$3,600,000 to develop bioinformatic tools and databases to support genomics research.

$2,400,000 for biotechnology risk assessment research.

During FY 2003,ARS will

establish key reference populations for major livestock species for use in genomic and germplasm evaluation research.

evaluate market assisted selection of cattle for carcass traits and calving ease.

test for the presence of genetic markers of selected strains of rainbow trout that correlate with growth and digestibility of cereal grain-based feeds.

develop more effective statistical genetic approaches for analyzing genetic market data.

conduct germplasm evaluations to identify and develop novel "high value" industrial or ornamental traits, increased adaptation, vigor, and nutritional value; enhanced productive potential, capacity, and efficiency; and improved resistance to environmental extremes, pests, and diseases.

perfect more efficient and effective germplasm evaluation methods which exploit genetic associations between useful traits and molecular (DNA) markers to facilitate crop improvement.

characterize plant genetic systems to expand knowledge about control of metabolic functions of plant cells and use that knowledge to genetically modify plant composition or improve economically important traits.

improve plant genetic transformation systems to expand their usefulness and improve efficiency.

describe the structure, function, and regulation of agriculturally important genes in model plants and crop plants.

develop effective strategies to replace or augment antibiotics.

STRATEGY 2.1.4: Plant and animal biological processes: Develop biologically-based technologies to improve productivity, safety, nutrient content, and quality of plants, animals, microbial organisms, and their products.

Indicators:

During FY 2002, ARS will

develop life cycle husbandry practices of arctic char adapted to Appalachia.

develop and assure one-tenth commercial scale recirculation systems (50 metric tons annual) for arctic char.

develop a natural produce treatment of safely controlling algae-related off flavors in catfish.

develop new fundamental knowledge that will allow regulation of the photosynthetic process for improved crop yields and production efficiency.

develop new basic knowledge that will lead to improved efficiency in use of inputs by plant production systems for food, feed, fiber, and bioenergy.

develop new knowledge that will lead to elucidation of regulatory mechanisms of plant growth and development.

develop new basic knowledge about mechanisms of organismal interactions that will allow enhanced symbiotic or mutual associations of crop plants with other beneficial organisms.

develop new fundamental knowledge that will improve the management of pests using environmentally safe methods by enhancing the plant's natural processes of defense or introducing new resistance mechanisms.

develop new basic knowledge that will be the basis for improved productivity when crops are subjected to environmental stress.

develop new fundamental knowledge of plant processes that will lead to greater product quality, uniformity, and value, and to improved marketability of agricultural products.

develop new fundamental knowledge of plant processes that generate important nutritional and healthful properties of plants grown for human or animal consumption.

develop new underlying knowledge as the basis for predicting global change effects on crop productivity and to take advantage of any benefits of global change to enhance crop yields, competitiveness with weeds, and adaptation to changes in atmosphere and the environment.

develop new knowledge that will enable production, storage, and processing of safe plant products to decrease incidences of mycotoxins and other contaminants of food and feed and reduce levels of naturally-occurring toxicants.

develop new knowledge of the occurrence and activities of biologically active natural products to enhance the ability to utilize this abundant natural resource.

address the issues raised by the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996 regarding the loss of many broad spectrum pest control products. The ARS IR-4 program, a National agricultural program designed to clear pest management agents for minor uses, will cooperate with CSREES State partners to provide growers of minor crops with effective pest management agents that have a minimal impact on the environment and meet the more stringent safety requirements of FQPA.

During FY 2003,ARS will

develop and evaluate a mobile, pond-side testing kit to enable field testing of therapeutic chemicals used to treat fish to satisfy FDA efficacy requirements.

develop a modified live and killed vaccine against Edwardsiella tarda for the prevention of E. tarda septicemia in a number of species of food fish.

use fundamental knowledge about plant development, production efficiency, responses to environment, and interactions with other organisms to identify potential genetic sources of improvement for introduction into crops (including introduction by genetic engineering).

address the issues raised by the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996 regarding the loss of many broad spectrum pest control products. The ARS IR-4 program, a national agricultural program designed to clear pest management agents for minor uses, will cooperate with CSREES-State partners to provide growers of minor crops with more effective pest management agents that have a minimal impact on the environment and meet the more stringent safety requirements of FQPA.

In FY 2003, ARS is requesting an increase of

$1,850,000 to identify and develop gene technology that will limit transgene activity to specific tissues.

$1,500,000 to develop new prevention and control strategies for Marek's disease.

$1,000,000 to determine the immunopathogenesis of Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex.

$2,500,000 to develop sensitive diagnostic methods and effective vaccines to control Foot and Mouth Disease.

$900,000 to identify genes I the Texas cattle fever tick that contribute to acaracide resistance and host function for babesiosis.

$500,000 to address emerging animal diseases off_shore.

$500,000 to improve vaccination strategies against velogenic, exotic Newcastle disease in poultry.

$2,000,000 to develop detection, prevention, and control strategies for bovine spongiform encephalopathy and native transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.

OBJECTIVE 2.2: Safe food: "Maintain an adequate, nutritious, and safe supply of food to meet human nutritional needs and requirements."

STRATEGY 2.2.1: Plant and animal product safety: Provide knowledge and means for production, storage, and processing of safe plant and animal products.

Indicators:

During FY 2002, ARS will

elucidate the ecology and epidemiology of pathogens on food producing animals, animal products, seafood, fruits and vegetables, and within the processing environment. The necessary data to carry out risk assessment will be provided. Critical control points will be identified and parameters of existing critical control points that lead to the design of control or intervention strategies will be validated to lower the presence of pathogens. Predictive models will also be developed and validated.

identify the sites and mechanisms of pathogen colonization in animals; identify and characterize virulence attributes which play a role in the host-pathogen relationship; and develop intervention strategies which reduce colonization and shedding of pathogens in animals used for food.

develop methods to assure that pathogens and chemical contaminants from animal manure do not pose a food safety hazard.

develop sampling plans and methods that have both regulatory, industry, and research use for the isolation, identification, and quantification of pathogens.

develop pathogen intervention strategies that assist regulatory agencies in establishing the basis for HACCP programs, aid both the large and small processors in carrying out good practices, and decrease the potential for introduction of zoonotic pathogens into processing environments. The effects of intervention strategies to reduce pathogens on food and antimicrobial resistance will be determined.

develop methods to control mycotoxins in food crops produced by Fusarium Aspergillus fungi. Methods to detect, quantitate, sample and/or separate toxin containing commodities will be developed. Methods to control insect vectors utilizing biocontrol fungi, and/or optimization of production practices will also be developed.

determine the absorption, metabolism, distribution, excretion, and elimination properties of drugs and environmental contaminants in food producing animals. Screening and confirmatory methods to detect and quantify drug and contaminant residues will be developed. Strategies for reducing the occurrence of residues will be devised.

develop knowledge and technology to prevent weight loss or decreased gains, reproductive performance, or other toxic effects in food producing livestock from grazing plants.

determine whether there is an association of transport stress with shedding of microorganisms that are of food safety significance.

In FY 2002, ARS received an increase of

$4,000,000 for emerging and exotic animal diseases.

$4,500,000 for research to thwart animal pathogens that could significantly harm agricultural productivity and U.S. trade.

During FY 2003,ARS will

acquire cultures of important foodborne pathogens to further enhance the capabilities and resources of ARS? microbial culture collection.

develop the national parasite collection as a primary genomics information resource.

determine the rates and extent of pathogen contamination in bivalve shellfish, and develop methods for decontamination.

determine which protozoa allow intracellular growth/survival of pathogens and under what circumstances, and determine if protozoa destroy environmental pathogens, including those in biofilms.

determine the key risk factors of human pathogens in foods of animal origin. Evaluate interventions for their impact, and develop predictive user-friendly models to assist industry and regulatory agencies in making critical food safety decisions that impact public health.

develop advanced techniques for the analysis of drug residues in foods; imaging and related technologies for the identification of surface contamination, and practical, economical, reliable, automated, real time, machine visioning systems for the online detection of surface contamination of animal carcasses during slaughter that will assure food safety.

determine the microbial ecology and transmission of human pathogens during poultry processing, and identify the critical control points to reduce carcass contamination.

sequence genome regions of pathogens affecting animal health and food safety for subsequent development of diagnostic tests, intervention strategies, and therapeutic agents. Develop bioinformatics tools to process, analyze, and interpret sequencing and mapping information.

identify and quantify sources of pathogens affecting food producing animals; determine any environmental influences, including seasonality and geography, and other animals and insects; and identify sites and mechanisms of colonization in animals/mechanisms of virulence.

develop intervention strategies which reduce colonization and shedding of pathogens in animals used for food including vaccines/competitive colonization/alleviation of stress/altered management practices.

determine how food safety is affected by manure handling practices and utilization.

determine how antimicrobial resistance is acquired/transmitted/maintained in food producing animals in order to develop technologies/altered management strategies to control its occurrence.

develop information/technologies to help control mycotoxins of fungal origin in crops and their food products, including competitive exclusion/genetic markers/more rapid methods of identification of crop/effective sorting technologies.

develop information/technologies to help control toxins of plant origin in feeds and food products.

In FY 2003,ARS is requesting an increase of

$2,107,000 to identify and characterize exotic plant diseases.

$1,750,000 to prevent exotic plant diseases.

$1,000,000 to control exotic plant diseases by biological, cultural, and chemical control.