**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE NATIONAL PLANT DIAGNOSTIC NETWORK (NPDN) IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RESPECTED CONSORTIUM OF PLANT DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORIES THAT PROTECTS THE PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF U.S. AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS. MEMBERS REPRESENT MANY INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES BY PROVIDING EARLY DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF PLANT PESTS AND DISEASES.NPDN WILL HOLD ITS SEVENTH NATIONAL MEETING IN SEPTEMBER 2024, WHERE AN ESTIMATED TWO HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WILL GATHER IN MAINE. THE MEETING AIMS TO INCREASE THE NATIONAL CAPACITY OF MEMBERS AND MEMBER LABS IN PREVENTION, RAPID DETECTION, AND RAPID RESPONSE TO BIOLOGICAL THREATS TO THE U.S. AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SUPPLY ACROSS THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS. WITH DIAGNOSTICIAN TURNOVER DUE TO RETIREMENTS AND THE INFLUX OF NEW DIAGNOSTICIANS STEPPING INTO THESE ROLES, IT IS NOW MORE CRITICAL THAN EVER TO BUILD AND SHARE KNOWLEDGE IN IDENTIFYING THREATS FROM PESTS, DISEASES, CONTAMINANTS, AND DISASTERS.THE MEETING WILL PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY SPEAKERS ON TOPICS SUCH AS EMERGING PESTS AND PATHOGENS AND METHODS FOR DETECTION, INCLUDING BEECH LEAF DISEASE AND VASCULAR STREAK DISEASE. NPDN LEADERSHIP WILL RELAY TIMELY INFORMATION ON IMPROVEMENTS TO REPORTING FOR CONTINUED RAPID DETECTION.ADDITIONALLY, SIX HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS WILL BE PROVIDED OVER TWO FULL DAYS OF THE MEETING TO 150 PARTICIPANTS, ADVANCING THEIR KNOWLEDGE ON VARIOUS TOPICS AND BENEFITING THE ENTIRE NETWORK. TWO TOURS WILL BE OFFERED THAT COVER PLANT DISEASES AND PESTS IN MAINE FORESTS AND IN THE WILD BLUEBERRY CROP. THE PRESENTATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE NETWORK FOLLOWING THE MEETING FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT ATTEND.