The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a part of USDA's marketing and regulatory programs mission area, in cooperation with the states of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico, is conducting surveys and establishing regulatory controls and other activities necessary to protect wheat production areas of the United States.
Karnal bunt is a disease of wheat, durum wheat, and triticale, a hybrid of wheat and rye.
The disease affects both yield and grain quality, but does not present a risk to human health. Durum wheat, a specialty crop, is expected to comprise only 4.7 percent of the total wheat produced in the United States in 1995-96. Notice of this declaration of emergency is effective March 26 and is scheduled for publication in the March 29 Federal Register.