Federal officials have unveiled a stepped-up effort to combat a citrus-killing disease that’s threatening to decimate Florida’s $9 billion citrus industry.
The plan, announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and urged by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson creates the framework for a new coordinated effort between federal, state and industry officials to fight the deadly disease that has infected crops in Florida, California, Louisiana, Georgia and South Carolina.
The disease, commonly known as citrus greening, produces green, bitter and misshapen fruit. According to a study done last year by the University of Florida, citrus greening has cost the state’s economy $4.5 billion and 8,000 jobs between 2006 and 2012.
“If we don’t find a cure soon, we won’t be growing oranges in Florida much longer,” Nelson said.
The Florida lawmaker, two years ago, helped secure $11 million to fund the research into finding a cure. In a teleconference with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last year, they announced the remaining $9 million of that money would be available right away and not spread out over four years as originally planned.
Nelson, meantime, is also pushing for a provision in the Senate Farm Bill that would create a trust fund to pay for the war on citrus greening. It would get another $30 million a year.
On the House side, a strong advocate of the effort to combat greening has been U.S. Rep. Patrick E. Murphy (D-FL). “I applaud today’s announcement and the USDA’s commitment to this pressing issue, and remain committed to working with them on efforts to help alleviate the harm caused by this disease,” Murphy said.