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Need for Action- NPDN Funding is in Jeopardy
Funding for USDA's Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative (FADI), which supports the NPDN, is in jeopardy. Congress is considering various cuts to FADI, including elimination of funding, which would result in termination of the NPDN. It is important that the Senate and House members are made aware of the importance of FADI and the programs supported by it.
What You Can Do: Please contact your Senate and House members immediately to convey your concern and support for the NPDN. You should also communicate with your institution’s government relations officers to engage their advocacy. Please urge them to oppose reductions in NPDN and FADI at the USDA. The APS Public Policy website contains links and other information for contacting your members of congress. For additional information or help, contact any of the PPB board members or Kellye Eversole. Additional information about the programs and impact of the NPDN can be found below.
For more background information and a sample letter please click here to see the NPDN white paper.
Information on the impact of the NPDN
Impact of the NPDN Fact Sheet 9-16-11
National Impact of the NPDN with Plant Inspection Information 9-16-11
NPDN PPV Case Study
NPDN Asian Soybean Rust Case Study
NPDN P. ramorum Case Study
Impact of the WPDN
Impacts of the NPDN in California
About WPDN
The Western Plant Diagnostic Network (WPDN) is a regional member of the larger National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN). NPDN consists of five regional plant diagnostic centers located at Cornell University (NEPDN); Michigan State University (NCPDN); Kansas State University (GPDN); the University of Florida (SPDN); and the University of California, Davis in partnership with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Sacramento (WPDN). Each regional center coordinates data gathering, diagnostic collaboration, and other activities of member land grant institutions, national agencies and state departments of agriculture. WPDN is a consortium of land grant institutions and state departments of agriculture throughout the western United States and U.S. territories in the Pacific that provide services for plant disease diagnosis, plant identification, and insect/pest identification. WPDN uses a common software interface to process diagnostic requests and share information among diagnostic laboratories. The WPDN Brochure in Adobe Acrobat format
How You Can Help
If you see suspicious samples in the field please contact one of the following
- County Ag Commissioners (California) or county extension agent
- State Diagnostic Lab
- State Department of Agriculture
- Cooperative Extension Specialist