Budget Cuts Force Oregon to Stop Japanese Beetle Eradications

Japanese Beetles have been the subject of eradication efforts in Oregon since 2016, and in WA since 2020. Now, Oregon's efforts appear to be ending.

    Money runs out for eradication program

Japanese Beetles were first detected in the US in 1916 in New Jersey, having come to the US from Asia via cargo ships. They are devastating to some 300 different plants and even grass, and can attack and destroy crops.

In WA state, numerous efforts in Eastern WA are pushing back against the spread of the insects, but the Oregon Department of Agriculture says budget woes are ending their program.

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For the last few legislative sessions, it was funded through one-time general or lottery fund appropriations. This session, a bill that would have continued this funding didn't pass, so the program will be going away.

Citizens can still greatly help in fighting  the bug, according to the ODA:

"Residents can still play a role in slowing the spread. ODA urges community members in or near the infested area to avoid moving outdoor potted plants or participating in plant swaps, as the beetles can easily hitch a ride in soil or plant material. Residents can also take green waste to facilities nearby their residence to avoid moving the beetle in yard debris to uninfested regions of Oregon."