CEREAL LEAF BEETLE The following tabulation sets forth the Federal and cooperators contributions in fiscal year 1964 in the cooperative program for control of the cereal leaf bettle: 1 Estimated amount based on knowledge of program as the State of Ohio did not report an estimated amount for 1964. The cereal leaf beetle was not identified in Ohio until May 1963. In fiscal year 1964, the Agricultural Research Service is conducting research activities to provide much needed information on the cereal leaf beetle in support of the control program. It is estimated that $76,000 will be obligated for research in fiscal year 1964 from regular funds. Also, research work is continuing at Michigan State University under a 3-year research contract for which $60,000 was obligated late in fiscal year 1963. IMPORTED FIRE ANT Dr. CLARKSON. The imported fire ant program is one referred to a while ago. We have in the budget for fiscal year 1965 a total of $2,467,000. This will permit conducting necessary quarantine activity to prevent spread of the pest to uninfested areas, and to cooperate with the States in effecting their intrastate quarantines. Also, we will conduct surveys to delimit the areas of infestation and cooperate with the States and local people in the treatment of infested acreage, especially in outlying areas. As Dr. Shaw has already mentioned, we have a new treatment which has been put into effect on a large scale this past yer. With this treatment, we are able to cover a larger acreage than was possible previously for the same amount of money. We anticipate being able to treat about 1.7 million acres in fiscal year 1965. I should point out, however, that we are running into some problems with this new treatment. It seems to be entirely effective against the adult ant colonies. But we are finding some recurrence of infestations in treated areas due to the fact that the immature ant colonies have not all been killed. We are continuing methods improvement work to find a solution, perhaps through more precise timing of treatments. If we are not able to find an improvement, a certain amount of acreage, not yet determined, will require a second treatment to eliminate all the imported fire ants. (The chart referred to and related material from the explanatory notes follow :) 30-087-64-pt. 2- -11 EXPLANATION OF PROPOSED DECREASE OF $50,000 A decrease of $50,000 under the project "Plant pest control" for imported fire ant activities.-Based on recent field experience, the newly developed corncob grit, impregnated with the product known as mirex, has proved to be an effective treatment in the eradication program. Methods improvement work is continuing to improve the formulation of mirex to increase effectiveness of applications. After giving effect to the proposed reduction of $50,000, there would remain $2,467,000 for program operations in fiscal year 1965. It is estimated that this amount would permit continuation of quarantine enforcement and necessary surveys to limit unnecessary spread of infestations; and the eradicative treatment in fiscal year 1965 of approximately 1.7 million acres in the cooperative Federal-State eradication program. EXAMPLE OF RECENT ACTIVITY Imported fire ant.-The newly developed bait formulation, including the product known as mirex, was the principal material used in fire ant eradication in fiscal year 1963. The bait, applied at the rate of 5 pounds per acre, consists of corncob grits, soybean oil, and one-seventh of an ounce of toxicant. It has proved highly effective against the fire ant while presenting no residue problem with livestock, fish, wildlife, or other values. More than 1.5 million acres were treated with mirex during the fiscal year 1963. Approximately 300,000 acres were treated with heptachlor to complete the split application treatment begun earlier in the year. By the end of November 1963, initial and repeat applications of mirex bait have been made on more than 1.2 million acres. In this same period only 33,500 acres were treated with heptachlor. To support the eradication campaign and to guard against spread of the pest the area regulated under the State and Federal quarantines was extended in five of the affected States during the year. GRASSHOPPERS Dr. CLARKSON. I want to refer briefly to the grasshopper situation. We conduct surveys each fall. Maps are published for the benefit of landowners, the Extension Service, experiment stations, and State de partments of agriculture. As this map shows, we have about 10 million acres in the rangelands where a potential buildup of serious numbers of grasshoppers is possible. Now, each of these areas may be changed materially by the time spring comes. This is due to the effect of weather conditions, particularly too much moisture at the wrong time on the eggs or immature grasshoppers. We do anticipate that there will be some real problems in areas of Montana, Wyoming, California, and Utah. (Related material from "Explanatory Notes" follows:) GRASSHOPPER AND MORMON CRICKET CONTROL At the beginning of the 1963 season, grasshopper populations throughout the Western States were at a low level. As the season progressed and dry weather persisted, severe infestations developed locally throughout the Rocky Mountain rangeland areas. It was necessary to treat about 498,100 acres in eight States. In 1963, important progress was made in developing alternate methods of treatment. Extensive methods improvement tests conducted in California, Idaho, and Montana have shown the effectiveness of very low volume rates of chemicals, other than those previously used. A new formulation of malathion, applied undiluted at a rate as low as 8 fluid ounces per acre, resulted in a high mortality of grasshoppers, even in lush range grass areas. Final results of these tests are not yet available, but it seems that fairly low rates of several insecticides applied selectively at low volumes will be among the recommendations for future grasshopper control programs. The excellent results with the malathion formulations tested are highly significant, as they point the way to a means of obtaining effective results without creating a residue problem that would require drastic changes in livestock management. Surveys conducted in the late summer of 1963 indicate that there have been substantial buildups of grasshoppers on rangeland areas in many Western States. In cropland areas, grasshoppers have continued to be abundant in portions of Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. All of these areas will be kept under close surveillance this spring to measure the severity and outline areas where any control work will be necessary. PLANT PEST CONTINGENCY FUND RELEASES Dr. CLARKSON. I would like to mention the withdrawals this year from the contingency fund which Congress makes available to meet emergency situations. The amounts and projects involved are as follows: $200,000 for control of the boll weevil in a new area in western Texas and northern Mexico which threatens western cotton-growing areas heretofore free of the boll weevil; $400,000 for the cereal leaf beetle program previously mentioned; $25,000 to control and we expect eliminate an outbreak of hoja blanca of rice in Florida; $130,000 to cooperate with the State of Michigan in the control of a serious outbreak of Japanese beetle near Grand Rapids; $150,000 used during last fall's outbreak of the Mediterranean fruit fly, previously mentioned; $200,000 was used last fall for the control of pink bollworm in cooperation with the State of Arizona and local growers: $30,000 to give immediate aid to Hawaii in an unusual outbreak of the southern green stinkbug in that State. (Related table follows:) Releases from the contingency fund for control of emergency outbreaks of insects and plant diseases, fiscal years 1960 through 1963 1 $30,300 from release for sweet potato weevil redirected to the Mediterranean fruit fly eradication program. 'No determinations on releases from this fund in fiscal year 1964 have been made as of January 1964. EVALUATION OF PLANT PEST CONTROL PROGRAMS Dr. CLARKSON. In the 1964 conference report, special reference was made to the $125,000 made available by the Congress to evaluate the efficiency of plant pest control programs and to test the effect of residues on nontarget organisms, including wildlife. We were asked to look further into this matter and to give the committee a report. I have the report here, Mr. Chairman, which I can submit for the record or give it verbally. Mr. WHITTEN. We will be glad to hear from you. Dr. CLARKSON. We participate actively in the Federal Pest Control Review Board which is composed of members of the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Interior, and HEW. This Board reviews each and every Federal pest control program. We have obligated ourselves not to undertake a program unless it has the approval of this Board. Also, we are working through the representatives of these other Federal agencies to coordinate our monitoring of the effects of pest control programs, whether they be undertaken by this Department or by HEW, Interior, or Defense. Mr. WHITTEN. Thank you. (The report follows:) EVALUATION OF PLANT PEST CONTROL PROGRAMS Conference Report No. 1088, page 7, to accompany H.R. 6754, the 1964 appropriation bill for the Department of Agriculture and related agencies, contains the following statement: "In addition, $125,000 is provided to evaluate the efficiency of plant pest control programs and to test the effect of residues on nontarget organisms such as people and wildlife. This will enable the Department to undertake activities recommended by the President's Science Advisory Committee in its report "The Use of Pesticides.' In this connection, the Department is directed to work in close cooperation with officials of other agencies in the conduct of joint programs and to take such steps as are necessary to carry out its assigned role in this very important area. The conferees recommend further that a high-level commission or board be established to evaluate and make final determinations as to the use of pesticides for pest control purposes. The Department of Agriculture should be adequately represented on such a board.” The Agricultural Research Service has implemented recommendations by the President's Science Advisory Committee in its report on the "Use of Pesticides" by establishing a program to evaluate cooperative pest control work with special reference to the environmental impact associated with pest control and eradication procedures. Personnel have been assigned to direct a monitoring program which will assure adherence to safety procedures designed to protect public health, the operators applying pesticides, and nontarget organisms in or near the areas being treated. Special studies involving residues in soil, on agricultural crops, forage, and domestic animals will be conducted to measure accumulations and will be evaluated in relation to the total environment. Reports will be prepared which will be available to other agencies and organizations having mutual interests in the use of pesticides. Representatives of the Agricultural Research Service serve on existing committees such as the Federal Pest Control Review Board,' and more recently a working subcommittee of the Board on pesticide monitoring which are vitally concerned with the use of pesticides and coordination of pesticide evaluation programs of the various governmental agencies. (Related material from the explanatory notes follows:) EXAMPLES OF RECENT ACTIVITY UNDER PLANT PEST CONTROL PROGRAMS CITRUS BLACKFLY Since this pest was eradicated in 1956, control efforts in cooperation with the Republic of Mexico have successfully prevented citrus blackfly infestations in U.S. citrus areas. These activities include the use of biological and chemical control treatments by the Mexican Department of Agriculture to prevent northward spread from areas in Mexico near the U.S. border and strict enforcement of quarantine regulations. Over 116,000 trees were inspected in the United States in fiscal year 1963 without finding a positive specimen. In fiscal 1963, activities in the buffer zone in Mexico involved the inspection of more than 1,319,000 host plants on 30,814 properties. Only 5 properties involving 29 hosts were found infested in small areas in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. These were treated promptly and no additional blackflies have been found in that area of Mexico since February 1963. These activities have added greatly to the effectiveness of the buffer zone. MEXICAN FRUIT FLY The Mexican fruit fly is established throughout much of the citrus area of Mexico. The fly migrates each fall and winter into southern Texas where it infests citrus in the Rio Grande Valley. At the beginning of each migration season, quarantine procedures are invoked and all fruit moves under regulation from infested Texas counties to other citrus-producing areas to prevent spread of the infestation. Currently, spread of the Mexican fruit fly into western Mexico constitutes a threat to citrus production areas in the Western United States. A cooperative spray program in Mexico adjacent to the California border and protective spraying in California groves near the border, plus strict quarantine measures, have kept western citrus areas free of the pest. One fly was trapped at San Ysidro, Calif., July 1, the first catch in the area since 1957. Several flies were also trapped near the border in Mexico. These areas were treated promptly. During fiscal year 1963, protective treatments were applied by air to 600 acres and by ground equipment to some 230,000 host plants in the California border area. The Federal Pest Control Review Board was created by joint action of the Secretaries of Agriculture, Defense, Interior, and Health, Education, and Welfare in September 1961 as a result of a special message on natural resources sent to Congress by the President. This Board reviews programs of each Department using pesticides or other chemicals, with particular attention to uses that involve possible hazards to human health, to livestock and crops. and to fish and wildlife. If the Board considers additional safeguards should be put into effect in implementing the various projects to insure safety in the use of pesticides, approval is withheld until the recommended changes are incorporated into the program involved. |