APHIS Reduces Karnal Bunt (Tilletia indica) Regulated Areas in Maricopa County in Arizona

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FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2025-22 
June 23, 2025

Subject: APHIS Reduces Karnal Bunt (Tilletia indica) Regulated Areas in Maricopa County in Arizona

To: State, Tribal, and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials


Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is reducing the Karnal bunt (Tilletia indica; KB)-regulated areas in Maricopa County, Arizona, in accordance with 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 301.89 et. seq. This action follows a recent review of field survey results of KB-regulated areas in Arizona.

Specifically, APHIS is removing one field in Maricopa County from the list of regulated areas because this field has met the five-year cumulative tillage requirement included in the criteria for deregulation listed in 7 CFR § 301.89-3(e)(2). Release of this field from quarantine, including all fields regulated by proximity, will deregulate 1,148 field acres (32 fields) on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Tribal land. With this change, the new total regulated area in Arizona is 2,973 field acres (79 fields). 

Accordingly, there are no more restrictions on the interstate movement of KB-regulated articles from these areas; however, other portions of Maricopa and Pinal Counties in Arizona remain regulated. The Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) has established a parallel state quarantine as required by 7 CFR § 301.89-3(b)(1)(i).

KB is a fungal pest that affects wheat quality. APHIS regulates this plant disease because many trading partners require that U.S. wheat be certified as grown in areas free of KB. APHIS appreciates the cooperative relationship with the Ak-Chin Indian Community, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the wheat industry, and AZDA in the effort to limit the spread of KB.

The attached Federal Order describes the regulated areas, which are also on the APHIS Karnal Bunt web page. APHIS will publish a notice of this change in the Federal Register. 

For additional information about the KB program, you may contact:

/s/

Matthew A. Rhoads 
Acting Deputy Administrator 
Plant Protection and Quarantine 

Attachment: Federal Order