Plant Protection Act Section 7721 Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, through its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Plant Protection and Quarantine division, has announced funding under the Plant Protection Act Section 7721 Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program. This program, authorized under Section 7721 of the Plant Protection Act, provides financial support to projects aimed at protecting U.S. agriculture and natural resources from the entry, establishment, and spread of harmful and invasive plant pests and diseases. The program supports early detection, rapid response, and innovative solutions that safeguard agriculture and facilitate safe trade. It is one of USDA APHIS’s primary tools for protecting specialty crops, nursery production, forestry, and other agricultural systems. For Fiscal Year 2026, APHIS anticipates making up to $90,000,000 available through Section 7721 funds, with at least $62,000,000 directed specifically to the Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program. The anticipated award range varies depending on project scope, with most awards not expected to exceed $400,000. The average award size in the previous cycle was approximately $130,000, and APHIS expects to make between 325 and 350 awards under this opportunity. The agency will issue cooperative agreements with non-Federal entities and interagency agreements with Federal entities, while internal projects will be supported separately. Funding restrictions are in place and unallowable costs follow 2 CFR Subpart E and Appendix D of the FY 2026 Implementation Plan. Eligible applicants, referred to as suggesters, include state departments of agriculture, other state and federal agencies, tribal nations, nonprofit organizations, industry representatives, and colleges and universities. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, although voluntary contributions may become binding if accepted into a project’s budget. Suggesters may submit multiple proposals but must do so separately for each project idea. Suggestions must clearly align with one of the program’s six goal areas: enhancing pest survey and analysis, strengthening domestic inspection, improving pest identification and technology, safeguarding nursery production, expanding outreach and education, and enhancing rapid response and mitigation capabilities. Each submission must also include required forms such as the ServiceNow Suggestion Submission form, a completed budget or diagnostic template, and a narrative report if the applicant has previously received funding. Applications must be submitted through the USDA APHIS PPA 7721 ServiceNow Suggestion Submission portal no later than August 6, 2025, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Late applications will not be accepted, and incomplete submissions will be rejected. All non-Federal suggesters selected for funding must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and have a Unique Entity Identifier. The submission process requires an eAuthentication or Login.gov account. Letters of support and curriculum vitae are optional, but applicants must summarize the qualifications of project leaders and may include supporting documentation from state or tribal plant health officials. Federal suggesters will follow interagency agreement procedures. Submissions will be evaluated based on alignment with program goals, benefits to pest surveillance and management, impacts on specialty crops, likelihood of success, prior experience, scientific merit, budget appropriateness, and timeline feasibility. APHIS will use an internal review process supported by Decision Lens software to ensure transparency and strategic funding allocations. Reviewers may consider geographic distribution, industry needs, and funding balance across the six priority areas in addition to the set criteria. Awards are expected to be announced in February 2026 through the USDA Stakeholder Registry. Pre-awards may be requested if work must begin before the official award date. Recipients will be responsible for performance and financial reporting through the ezFedGrants system, and APHIS will provide oversight and guidance to ensure compliance. The performance period for cooperative and interagency agreements is expected to begin between May 1 and September 30, 2026, with a maximum length of twelve months. Internal projects with APHIS will start earlier, between March 1 and June 1, 2026, but must end by September 30, 2026. All activities must be completed within the defined performance period, and pre-awards are required if work begins earlier. The USDA retains full discretion in awarding funds and reserves the right not to make awards under this announcement. Questions about the program may be directed to ppa-projects@usda.gov, which serves as the main point of contact for this funding opportunity.

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