Texas producers, landowners and anyone interested in agriculture now have a new way to stay informed about emerging threats across the state.
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has launched the Texas Agriculture Alert System, a statewide email notification service designed to provide timely updates on agricultural threats, wildlife diseases, invasive pests and quarantine actions affecting Texas.
The alert system notifies subscribers when state agencies confirm cases of dangerous plant, wildlife or animal pests and diseases, establish or modify quarantine orders issued by the Texas Department of Agriculture, or implement compliance agreements related to pest and disease outbreaks.
The system is a collaborative effort between the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, the Texas Department of Agriculture, the Texas Animal Health Commission and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Created in response to legislation passed by the 89th Texas Legislature under House Bill 1592, the alert system aims to provide fast, reliable information to producers and the public.
“The new animal and plant identification system will keep Texans notified of any immediate threats to agriculture and natural resources,” said Dan Hale, Ph.D., associate director for agriculture and natural resources with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. “This notification system allows industry and others to deliver timely information and respond appropriately depending on the nature of an incident.”
Each alert includes the date of the incident, the affected animal or plant category, the type of pest or disease involved, and any counties impacted by quarantine measures.
Notifications are sent by email, and subscribers can choose to receive alerts for specific counties or statewide.
Residents can enroll in the Texas Agriculture Alert System through the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension website to receive updates as new threats are identified.
