"Invasive species are a leading and growing threat to our nation’s agricultural and natural resources. Thousands of invasive species have been introduced into the U.S., and the associated damage and management costs are estimated to exceed $138 billion per year. In response to this threat, the Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab (UPPDL) created the Utah First Detector Program to prepare citizen responders with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify invasive pests, collect and submit high quality samples to the UPPDL, and notify the appropriate authorities when necessary. The UPPDL is a service of USU Extension and the Department of Biology at USU. The UPPDL is staffed with highly skilled and experienced professionals that provide rapid and accurate identification of pest-related problems."
