On November 10, 2004, USDA announced that it confirmed a detection of soybean rust, a fungal disease of soybeans, in two plots associated with a Louisiana research farm near Baton Rouge.

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, working cooperatively with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and officials with Louisiana State University, have started surveillance and sample collection activities within a 50-mile radius of the initial detection.

To date, no other positive confirmations have been made.

This pathogen is spread primarily by windborne spores capable of being transported over long distances. At this time, USDA officials believe that the occurrence of this pathogen is related to the recent active hurricane season based on preliminary evidence derived from predictive models.

These predictive models also indicate that it's likely that rust spores could have made landfall throughout the Gulf Coast region. Since the soybean harvest is all but complete, no impacts are expected on this year's crop.

Growers now have several months to prepare rust mitigation plans for next year's growing season. Soybean rust can be managed with the judicious use of fungicides. USDA encourages growers to contact USDA's Extension Service, their State Department of Agriculture, and their crop consultants to obtain information on what fungicides are registered for use in their states, as well as when these fungicides should be used.

USDA does not expect any significant impact on soybean exports. The United States is the last major soybean producer in the world to get soybean rust.

USDA has been preparing for soybean rust for several years. Most recently, USDA held a mock soybean rust emergency in September with state officials in Minnesota. This past summer, USDA ran a series of awareness ads in major soybean industry publications, encouraging producers to be on the lookout for the fungus. Working with the American Soybean Association, USDA also participated in a soybean rust education series this summer in Raleigh, NC, Plain City, OH, Memphis, TN, Indianapolis, IN, Fremont, NE, Moline, IL, and Mankato, MN -- July 30.

For the past 2 years USDA has worked with the American Soybean Association, the United Soybean Board, state departments of agriculture officials and other federal agencies on its strategic plan for soybean rust.

For more information on soybean rust, please visit www.aphis.usda.gov