Minnesota's spongy moth mitigation plan canceled due to lack of federal funding, ag officials say

    MINNESOTA (WCCO) -- Minnesota's plan to combat an invasive pest is canceled after federal funding fell through, the state said.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture planned to apply an insecticide called Btk to 12 areas throughout the state to fight the spongy moth, whose voracious appetite is devastating to forests. But the department said it did not receive the necessary federal funds in time.

"Having to cancel Btk aerial management operations in these areas jeopardizes the future success of this program," department Commissioner Thom Peterson said. "Spongy moth populations in these areas will likely increase and advance quicker into neighboring areas, making future years of management more complicated and costly."

Minnesota Department of Agriculture Affected counties include Anoka, Carlton, St. Louis and Winona. Temporary quarantines may be put in place to stop the pests from spreading outside these areas.

Agriculture officials said they will plan to use other methods to manage the pests, including a pheromone to stop them from reproducing. A yearly survey of the pests will also occur. Both of those operations also rely on "uncertain" federal funding, according to the department.

"A threat to Minnesota's forest is a threat to many Minnesotans' livelihoods and our state's economy," the department said. "The MDA will continue to work within its state program to monitor spongy moth populations and to advocate for the best possible management strategies in the future."

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the spongy moth "poses a danger to North America's forests" and has "dramatically changed the landscape" of parts of the country. It eats more than 300 species of trees and shrubs.