Missouri Dept. of Agriculture advice: Beware of fire ants in imported hay

The severe drought in Missouri has farmers importing hay from other states.

MDA cautions producers who are receiving hay shipments from all, or portions of, the southern and western states, which are under USDA-APHIS’s Imported Fire Ant Quarantine. See Fire Ant Quarantine Map.

MO Highway Patrol Troopers with questions about imported fire ants in shipments of hay should contact MDA’s State Entomologist Rosalee Knipp via phone at (573) 751-5507 or (573) 751-5505.

Any livestock producers, haulers or shippers with questions or concerns about the imported fire ant should contact MDA’s State Entomologist Rosalee Knipp via e-mail at
Rosalee.Knipp@mda.mo.gov, or by phone at (573) 751-5507 or (573) 751-5505.