The National Plant Board, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and with support from USDA Plant Protection and Quarantine, will host the 2026 Safeguarding Meeting in Savannah, Georgia. The program will feature in‑depth discussions and live demonstrations focused on emergency response actions following the detection of a new pest.
The Yellow‑legged hornet will serve as the central case study, with state plant regulatory leaders sharing firsthand insights from eradication efforts. Sessions will walk participants through pre‑response planning, incident activation, field operations, public and media engagement, mapping and data collection, and other critical components of an effective response.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to move beyond the classroom and into the field, visiting sites in Georgia and South Carolina to observe trapping methods, hornet tracking, and nest removal techniques in real‑world settings.
