U.S. flag
    An official website of the United States government
      Here's how you know
    Here's how you know
    Contact UsDot gov**The .gov means it’s official.**
          
          Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.
    Https**The site is secure.**
          
          The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.  National Institute of Food and Agriculture
    United States Department of Agriculture
  Menu
    Search Close
      Topics

    About Topics

NIFA supports research, educational, and extension efforts in a wide range of scientific fields related to agricultural and behavioral sciences.

View Topics Page
        Ecology Issues
  

        
      Environment
                              Natural ResourcesFarms and Ranches
  

        
      Farming and Ranching
                              Animals
                              Plants
        Health and Science
  

        
      Food Science
                              Human Science
                              Health
                              Advanced Technologies
        Future of Farming
  

        
      Business and Economics
                              Education
                              International Resources
  Grants

    About Grants

The lifecycle of grants and cooperative agreements consists of four phases: Pre-Award, Award, Post-Award, and Close Out.

View Grants Page
        Grant Basics
  

        
      Pre-Award Phase
                              Award Phase
                              Post-Award Phase
                              Close-Out Phase
                              Grant Training/Technical AssistancePrograms
  

        
      Capacity
                              Competitive (AFRI and Non-AFRI)
                              Non-Competitive
                              Program Operational Areas
        Funding Opportunities
  

        
      Search Funding Opportunities
                              Request for Application (RFA) Calendar
                              Request for Application (RFA) ListLoan Repayment
  

        
      Veterinary Medicine Loan RepaymentOur Partners
  

        
      Land-Grant University Website Directory
  Data

    Access to Data

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture is committed to serving its stakeholders, Congress, and the public by using new technologies to advance greater openness.

View Data Page
        NIFA Dashboards
  

        
      NIFA Grant Funding
                              NIFA Application Status DashboardNIFA Reporting System
  

        
      NIFA Reporting SystemREEPort
  

        
      REEport Tool
        Budget and Legislation
  

        
      Budget
                              Legislation
                              NIFA Administrative ActionsMore Tools
  

        
      CRIS - Current Research Information System
                              Data Gateway
                              PRS - Peer Review System
                              LMD - Leadership Management Dashboard
                              REEIS - Research, Education and Economics Information System
                              WebNEERS
                              ASAP - Automated Standard Application for Payments
        Access Data GatewayThe Data Gateway enables users to find funding data, metrics, and information about research, education, and extension projects that have received grant awards from NIFA.
  Resources

    View Resources PageThis website houses a large volume of supporting materials. In this section, you can search the wide range of documents, videos, and other resources.View Resources Page
        Documents
  

        
      All Documents
                              Forms
                              Instructions
                              Maps
                              Official Publications and Guidelines
                              Reports
        Promotional Materials
  

        
      Fact Sheets
                              Brochures
                              Presentations
                              Infographics
                              Webinars
        Featured Webinar
    Second Annual Virtual Grants Support Technical Assistance Workshop
    Check out this five-day workshop in March 2024 workshop, designed to help you learn about NIFA grants and resources for grants development and management.

    Read More
  About

    About NIFA

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture provides leadership and funding for programs that advance agriculture-related sciences.

View About Page
        News
  

        
      Newsroom
                              Press Releases
                              Blogs
                              AnnouncementsImpacts
  

        
      Featured Impact
                              All Impacts
                              NIFA Update
        The Institute
  

        
      Who We Are
                              What We Do
                              How We Work
                              USDA Administration Priorities
                              Career Opportunities
        Civil Rights
  

        
      Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights
                              Civil Rights Compliance Program
                              Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights Resources
                              Diversity and Inclusion Showcase
                              Contact NIFA's Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights
                              Language Access ServicesContact Us
 image of insects on plant, Adobe Stock
    Breadcrumb
    Home
                                Topics

    Invasive Pests and DiseasesSharePrint Friendly Email Twitter Facebook
    
    Environment
      Climate Change
          Ecosystems
          Invasive Pests and DiseasesInvasive 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 diseaseThe above invasive species can cause widespread destruction, leaving in their wake:

Destroyed forests
	Reduced crop yields
	Damaged outdoor recreation areas
	Slowed  trade routesNIFA’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

  Programs
    Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)
              Pest Management Programs
              Weed Science
              AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems
              Urban, Indoor, and Emerging Agriculture
              Equipment Grants Program (EGP)
              Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program
              Applied Agriculture Research and Development Program
              From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals (NextGen)
              Invasive Species Program

  Funding Opportunities
    Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) (Joint NSF) Competitive Grants Program
              Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Agricultural Systems
              Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program Pre-Applications
              Research Facilities Act Program
              National Plant Diagnostic Network for the Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative Return to top
 Your feedback is important to us. Take the Website Survey
 National Institute of Food and Agriculture
    United States Department of Agriculture
  Menu
        POLICIES AND STATEMENTS
                            Freedom of Information Act
                              Information Quality
                              Our Performance
                              Privacy Policy
                              Accessibility Statement
                              Non-Discrimination Statement
          RELATED SITES
                            USDA.Gov
                              Office of the Inspector General
                              WhiteHouse.gov
                              USA.gov
                              AskUSDA
          RESOURCES
                            Report Fraud on USDA Contracts
                              Plain Writing
                              No Fear Act Data
                              Open Government
                              Careers
                              Survey (A-11)
                              Civil Rights
                              Language Access Services
                              Archives
                              Glossary
                              Sitemap
          Stay Connected
    To sign up for updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please click on the "Sign Me Up" button below.
    Twitter
      Facebook
      Linkedin
      Youtube
    Subscribe to our Newsletter
      Sign Me Up