The warning about invasive and destructive pests and why the Ag Department is asking for your help this month. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
by Pam Carter from Pixabay
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared April “Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month. And, it needs everyone’s help fighting against invasive pests that pose a threat to the nation’s food crops, forests, and natural resources.
Many invasive plant pests and diseases are natural hitchhikers, making it too easy for people to unintentionally move them to new areas. Officials want you to be on the lookout for these hungry pests that can hide in untreated firewood, attach themselves to outdoor gear and recreational vehicles, and even take a ride in the mail. They can also appear in new areas via agricultural mediums such as soil, seeds, produce, and plants.
Invasive pests have no natural predators in their new environments and are more likely to throw their ecosystem off balance than domestic organisms, which have evolved in their native habitats and pose less risk to plant health.
Listen to Cathy Isom’s This Land of Ours program here.