WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The American Soybean Association, a U.S.producer group, was informed this week by the U.S. Department ofAgriculture that the potent Asian strain of rust fungus has beendiscovered in Colombia, farther north than ever before in South America, aspokesman for the group said Friday.Bob Callanan, communications director of the American SoybeanAssociation, said the discovery means the fungus spores have "made anadvance towards the United States" past the Equator.A USDA official, speaking on terms of anonymity, confirmed that Asianrust has been discovered in Colombia, north of the Equator.The official would give no other details on the discovery.The USDA's Economic Research Service released a report in Aprilpredicting that the net economic losses from an outbreak of the soybeanyield-slashing Asian rust would range from $640 million to $1.3 billionfor the first year of damage if the fungus reaches the U.S.A spokeswoman with the Colombian Agricultural Institute, the country'sofficial sanitary agency, said Friday that preliminary tests gave noindication that Asian rust had moved into Colombia."A first test ... showed there was no rust," said Angela Neira, of theinstitute's press office. "We're carrying out a second test to confirmthis."Callanan said that despite the news of the fungus' discovery inColombia, first reported Friday by DTN, the American Soybean Associationis telling its members that there is no immediate cause for alarm but thatthey should still remain vigilant for signs of Asian rust.He said it may still be years before the fungus reaches U.S. soybeanfields, but the group is already helping farmers prepare for its arrival.Previously, Asian rust was believed to have infested only fields inBrazil and other countries below the Equator, but the presence of thefungus above the Equator in Colombia "puts it closer to either beingcarried across the Caribbean Sea - airborne - or across the land bridge upthrough Central America," Callanan said.