New 'Squish It' Act Launches National Campaign to Recruit Citizens in the Fight Against Spotted Lanternflies

The “If You See It, Squish It Act of 2025” is kicking off a nationwide public awareness campaign aimed at stopping the spotted lanternfly, an invasive pest that’s been causing headaches for farmers and growers across multiple states. This isn't just a friendly reminder; the bill mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture launch a major effort to educate the public about this threat and, crucially, encourage everyone to kill any of the bugs they spot.

The Bug That Bites Your Bottom Line

This section (SEC. 2) is a direct response to the threat the spotted lanternfly poses to local agriculture, from vineyards and orchards to timber. The bill is pretty specific about how the message needs to get out: the Department of Agriculture must use public service announcements (PSAs) on TV, radio, and billboards, especially in areas where these pests are already established. The core message of these PSAs must be twofold: first, explaining that the lanternfly is an invasive pest that seriously threatens local farming, and second, urging citizens to take direct action and eliminate any they see. For the average person, this means your commute or your evening news might soon include a PSA reminding you that you’re on the front lines of pest control.

From Policy to Patio: Your Role in Pest Control

If you live in a state where these pests are prevalent—like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or parts of the Midwest—this bill makes you an official, though unpaid, member of the eradication team. This campaign is designed to turn what was once a niche agricultural problem into a public mission, leveraging the eyes and hands of millions of people who encounter these insects every day. For a vineyard owner, this means potentially fewer damaged crops down the line, thanks to a more vigilant public reducing the pest population. For someone who works from home and has a few trees in their yard, it means being educated on how to recognize and remove the pests before they spread to the next county.

While the bill is clear about requiring PSAs, it also gives the Secretary of Agriculture the flexibility to use “any other awareness tools they think are appropriate.” This medium level of vagueness means the campaign could evolve beyond traditional advertising to include things like social media outreach, educational partnerships with schools, or even smartphone apps to track sightings. The goal is to make sure that whether you’re a construction worker on a job site or a software engineer on a lunch break, you know what a spotted lanternfly looks like and what to do about it. The success of this section hinges on how effectively the USDA can mobilize the public to take these small, necessary actions to protect the nation's crops.