The Asian species of the Soybean rust pathogen (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) was introduced to South America in 2001. In that time it spread rapidly. Following its initial appearance in Paraguay, rust was identified in Brazil and Argentina in 2002, Bolivia in 2003, and an as yet unconfirmed report from Columbia in 2004, leading to the introduction and initial identification in the US in November of 2004 associated with Hurricane Ivan.