The Pink Bollworm Program is carried out to monitor for the Pink Bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella Saunders) cotton pest in Arkansas. Arkansas is currently Pink Bollworm free (Area B). If Pink Bollworm is found in Arkansas, the state would enact the quarantine; hereby dividing the state into Area A and Area B. Area A would consist of all counties or parts of counties in which the pink bollworm has been found or in which it is suspected of being present because of proximity thereto. Area B consists of the remainder of the state.
The Pink Bollworm Regulations establishe that all cotton gins be inspected and that they maintain a compliance agreement with the Department of Agriculture, all cotton stalks are destroyed by April 15th of each year, gins must close by February 5th of each year, and regulates movement of articles between Area A and Area B in state and out-of-state.
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture will coordinate trapping protocols and procedures. Traps will be placed at gins and warehouses to monitor pink bollworm activity. Trapping usually occurs from July to November.