Offshore Pest Information Program (OPIP)

United States Department of AgricultureAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Plant Protection and Quarantine

Offshore Pest Information Program(OPIP)


OPIP OverviewITAP Meeting

January 17, 2008



Offshore Pest Information Program (OPIP)

• Genesis and current status

• Lifecycle of OPIS pest information process

• Users

• Uses



Genesis: Why have this program?

• Outcome of stakeholder reviews of APHIS safeguarding system:– Plant Safeguarding Review (NPB - 1999)

– Animal Safeguarding Review (NASDA - 2001)

• Designed for unintentional pest/disease introduction

• Additional tool to complement existing pest monitoring and surveillance systems, programs



And…

• Meets APHIS strategic goals and objectives – APHIS Mission Priority 1: Strengthen our safeguarding system domestically and in other countries– The APHIS Exotic Fruit Fly Strategic Plan

• Priority 4: Encourage development of exotic fruit fly detection and management of programs in the Caribbean Basin and Central America to act as an early warning system and further reduce the risk of introduction

• Priority 5: Reduce risk of entry of exotic fruit flies, especially Medfly, through technical support for fruit fly risk reduction activities worldwide.

• Homeland Security Presidential Directive HSPD-9

– National policy to defend agriculture and food system (Jan. 2004)– Awareness and warning section– Develop surveillance and monitoring systems for international information on animal and plant disease

• National Invasive Species Council (NISC) E.O. 13112– Article 17 - Mgmt. plan to implement process for identifying priority invasive species likely to be

introduced unintentionally



OPIP Mission Statement

The mission of OPIP is to systematically collect, report,

assess, and communicate information regarding pests

and diseases in other countries to enhance APHIS’

preparedness and ability to reduce the risk of

introducing these exotic species into the United States



USDA - APHISAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service

OPIPOffshore Pest Information

Program



Where is OPIP on the Safeguarding Continuum?

Key Elements of NRP Framework

• Prevention – OPIP• Preparedness - OPIP

• Response - OPIP

• Recovery - OPIP

Foreign Port of Entry Surveillance Response



Where is OPIP on the Safeguarding Continuum?

Key Elements of NRP Framework (cont’d.)

• Prevention– Primary agency (APHIS)

– Ports of Entry

– Domestic quarantines

– Offshore risk management Pre-clearance: 25 countries, 41 commodities

Offshore Pest Information Program (OPIP) Collaborative agreements w/ countries: AGM

Foreign Port of Entry Surveillance Response




• OPIS – Offshore Pest Information System• APHS – Animal & Plant Health Specialists

(formerly IS Safeguarding Officers)

• EPWG – Exotic Pest Working Group (plant)• AHAT – Animal Health Assessment Team

(animal) • OCG – OPIP Coordinators Group• OEG – OPIP Executive Group• IPIC – International Pest Information

Coordinator• Analysts • Evaluators• Other users

OPIS Other users

AHAT

OCG

EvaluatorsAPHS

EPWG

Analysts

OEG

IPIC

OPIP



Offshore Pest Information System (OPIS)

Systematic, structured, web-based process

– Collect

– Report

– Analyze

– Communicate

APHIS-PPQ Partners with NCSU-CIPM Cooperator



Offshore Pest Information System (OPIS)

• Designation of target pests

• Immediate electronic input of collected information

• Pest alerts and news

• Links to pest information and other recognized

sources:– Geographic distribution

– Host commodities/material

– Taxonomy and identification

– Other

• Password-restricted access; Secure information



Lifecycle of OPIS pest information process

• Identify pests/diseases of concern

• Collect relevant information

• Submit OPIS Report to IPIC

• Review/Analyze information

• Communicate review to users



Lifecycle of OPIS pest information processIdentify pests/diseases of concern

• OPIS Pest List– Regulated plant pest list (RPPL) (plant)– Select agents (plant and animal)– Input from professional scientific societies in U.S. (plant)– CAPS survey priorities (plant)– Agricultural and horticultural industry groups (plant)– APHIS Veterinary Services Program (animal)

• OPIP Guidelines

• Other Sources– News outlets, open sources– Foreign site visits, meetings, conferences– Program officials (You!)




Collect relevant information

• Official govt. websites

• Other communications

• Universities, Professional societies/org., Meetings

• U.S. and Foreign SME’s

• Newsprint, other outlets

• Scientific literature




IS Location: South Africa Covers: Europe, Africa, and Middle East

IS Location: Dominican RepublicCovers: Caribbean and Central America

IS Location: Brazil Covers: South America

IS Location: TaiwanCovers: Asia Pacific

VS and PPQ Location: HQ, Field

Covers: World

Submit OPIS Report to IPIC• Quality control• Triage reports



OPIS Submitted Report



Lifecycle of OPIS pest information processReview and Analyze information• APHIS SME’s (EPWG, Other Evaluators)

• Decision-makers

EXOTIC PEST

WORKINGGROUP(EPWG)

Assistant Deputy

Administrator EDP (Chair)

International Pest

Information Coordinator

CPHST

National IdentificationServices (NIS)

PPD Risk AnalysisSystems

Quarantine Policy,

Analysis & Support (QPAS)

Commodity Import,

Analysis and Ops. (CIAO)

PSPIPlant Inspection

Station

PPQVRS

VSAHAT Chair

IS/PPQLiaison

Assistant to the Deputy

AdministratorPPQ

DHS CBP/AI APL




Communicate review to users• OPIS weekly summary

• Sensitive reports



OPIS Pest List Development• Regulated plant pest list (RPPL) (plant)

• Select bioterrorism agents (plant and animal)

• Input from professional scientific societies in U.S. (plant)

• CAPS survey priorities (plant)

• Agricultural and horticultural industry groups (plant)

• APHIS Veterinary Services Program (animal)

• Program officials

• Periodic reviews

Currently: 669 totalCurrently: 669 total

109 priority target (A), 560 other target (B)109 priority target (A), 560 other target (B)Plant = 92; 541 Plant = 92; 541 Animal = 17; 19Animal = 17; 19









Who are OPIS Users ?

USDA-APHIS (PPQ, VS, IS, OEMHS) Port of Entry Officials (DHS/CBP/AI, PHIS) Pest Detection and Monitoring (State, Federal) Emergency Programs (PPQ, VS) Domestic (PPQ Officers, VMOs) QPAS, SITC, VRS APHIS Foreign Service (APHS, FSO, FSN) Pest Risk Analysts (CPHST, CEAH) Trade/Export (PIM, SIM) Import (CIAO, NCIE) Others (State DOA, FSIS, ARS, DHS,…)



Registered OPIS Users (Total 979)

CIPM DHS/CBP IS PPQ VS State



OPIP Personnel & Related GroupsAPHIS Program/Unit Executive Group Coordinator Group

International Services (IS)

Eric Hoffman Joan Sills, Tom Schissel

Office of Emergency Mgmt. and Homeland Security (OEMHS)

Doug Kelly Debbie Knott

Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ)

David Kaplan Parul Patel (IPIC),

Steve Crook

Veterinary Services (VS)

José Diez Cynthia Johnson, Wolf Weber



OPIS Uses: Reports and Outcomes

• Notify officials at U.S. ports of entry

• Enact emergency measures; changes to regulations & operational manuals

• Modify domestic survey pest targets

• Develop New Pest Response Guidelines

• Promote collaboration, coordination

• Support risk assessments , diagnostics

• Verify information



Examples: OPIS Reports and Outcomes• Exotic fruit flies

Bactrocera invadens (invasive fruit fly)

• Eucalyptus pests and diseases

• Ragworts (weeds)Senecio inaequidens

S. madagascariensis

• Lime swallowtailPapilio demoleus

• Palm pestsRaoiella indica (red palm mite)

Rhyncophorus ferrugineus (red palm weevil)Red ring nematode

• Plant pathogens Black stem rust (Ug99)

Apple proliferation phytoplasma



OPIS Pest Reports and Outcomes: Example

Pest: Senecio inaequidens (narrow-leaved ragwort, South African ragwort)

First reported: OPIS weekly highlights (November 2004)

APHIS action: Final rule amending existing noxious weed regulations to regulate Senecio under 7 CFR 360



OPIS Pest Reports and Outcomes: Example

Pest: Bactrocera invadens (fruit fly)

First reported: Via OPIS, June 2004

• Unnamed species until 2005 publication;

• APHS track geographic expansion, host range

Potential impact identified: (Pre-clearance) imports from South Africa (ZAF)

APHIS action: • Communicate concern to ZAF NPPO (bilateral meeting) • Gauge South Africa's general ff surveillance procedures for phytosanitary

assurance

• Identify potential concerns against B. invadens (e.g. treatment efficacy)



OPIS Reports: Plant/Animal

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

2004 2005 2006 2007

Plant

Animal

FY 2004 (65/77)

FY 2005(208/282)

FY 2006(124/375)

FY 2007 (109/124)



Offshore Pest Information Program

• How can you help?

• Emerging pest information?

• Doug Luster (ARS)

• PPQ EDP liaisons

• [email protected]



For more information about OPIP

• Parul Patel [email protected] Pest Information Coordinator (IPIC) [email protected] Pest Information Program (OPIP)

• Steve Crook [email protected]


• OPIS website https://secure.opis.info

• Access for APHIS employees: https://secure.opis.info/scripts/APHISregister1.cfm

• Access for DHS employees:https://secure.opis.info/scripts/DHSregister1.cfm

Documents

Offshore Pest Information Program (OPIP)