The Texas Fire Ant Rural Study involves selected counties in the North and East part of Texas. 

From this data we will be able to estimate how the Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) affect the rural areas in the survey.  This study is one part of two that will help us determine the economic costs and benefits of this pest on the state of Texas.  The other study involves five urban cities in Texas.

Objectives of the Texas Study:

(1) Identify items that are considered expenditures or costs and those items that have value or benefits (if any), associated with the control and management of fire ants.

(2) Estimate the cost of various control and management measures used in Texas.

(3) Discover the various ways and areas where the fire ant affects Texas.

(4) Estimate various expenditures associated with fire ant damage.

(5) Estimate the overall economic impacts associated with fire ants in Texas to serve as a benchmark to evaluate possible control and management programs implemented by the Texas Fire Ant Initiative.