Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA)
The GDA provides services and regulatory functions, protects and promotes agriculture and consumer interests, and ensures an abundance of safe food and fiber for Georgia by using state-of-the-art technology and a professional workforce.
They are the primary state agency given statutory authority to protect the state’s agricultural resources from invasive pests.
Enabling statutes include the Entomology Act of 1937 (O.C.G.A. §2-7-1), the Georgia Boll Weevil Eradication Act of 1985 (O.C.G.A §2-7-150), the Georgia Bee Law (O.C.G.A. §2-14-40), the Bird Dealers Licensing Act (O.C.G.A §4-10-1), and the Prevention of Disease in Livestock Act (O.C.G.A. §4-4-1).
Employees of GDA are authorized to inspect; survey for, and treat for pests, which may be injurious to livestock, agricultural, horticultural, or other interests of the state. They actively inspect establishments for the presence of livestock and plant pests and cooperatives with other agencies in conducting additional surveys for exotic invasive pests.
Georgia Department of Agriculture - Plant Protection Division (GDA-PPD)
The GDA-PPD conducts over 8,000 inspections of plant growers and plant retail centers each year with a portion of each inspection devoted to exotic pest detection.
800 insect and plant disease samples are collected and submitted for identification.
GDA-PPD personnel works with plant nurseries to keep their production premises free from federal noxious weeds.
Additionally, The GDA-PPD participates in the Cooperative Agriculture Pest Survey program for the detection of harmful agriculture pests.