As part of the $1.1 trillion omnibus bill Congress passed this week, $7.5 million will go to fight citrus greening which has devastated agriculture in the Sunshine State in recent years. The funds will go to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Huanglongbing Multiagency Coordination Group ((HLB-MAC) and Citrus Health Response Program to battle citrus greening.
U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., who sits on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee and is the only members of the Florida delegation who sits on the U.S. House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, showcased his work in getting those funds on Friday.
“I have always stressed how important it is for us to invest the necessary funds to finding a cure for citrus greening before the American citrus industry becomes a thing of the past,” Rooney said. “This $7.5 million is more than we could have hoped for. I am pleased that the negotiators recognized how essential this funding is and included it in the final bill. I am hopeful that this money will increase the likelihood of finding a cure for citrus greening.”
U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, praised Rooney for his work on the matter. So did U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., the chairman of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.
“Congressman Rooney worked diligently to help ensure this funding was included in the final bill,” Rogers said. “He has been a strong voice in Congress, specifically on the Appropriations Committee, on behalf of Florida’s citrus industry, and I am pleased we could address this critical issue in this spending bill.”
“I appreciate Congressman Rooney’s tireless dedication to the citrus industry and being such a good advocate for Florida’s citrus in Congress,” Aderholt said. “Ultimately finding a cure for citrus greening is critical for maintaining an abundant and affordable food supply for the entire nation, and securing this funding is an important step to finding a cure.”
Over in the Senate, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., also showcased his work to get those funds.
“We have to do everything we can to keep this industry alive while we search for a cure,” Nelson said on Wednesday.
The Florida delegation pushed for the funds to battle citrus greening. President Barack Obama originally proposed to send $7 million to HLB-Mac. The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee proposed sending $2 million to HLB-MAC while the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee did not fund it in its its original proposal.
More than 20 members of Congress from Florida sent a letter to U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Mary., the ranking Democrat on the committee, asking for the Senate to at least match the House’s funding proposal. Copies of the letter were sent to U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Ks., the chair of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, and U.S. Jeff Merkley, D-Oreg., the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee.
Organized by Rooney, the representatives from Florida insisted HLB-MAC is a “vital lifeline to the citrus industry.” Florida Republican U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan, Curt Clawson, Ander Crenshaw, Carlos Curbelo, Ron DeSantis, Mario Diaz-Balart, Rich Nugent, Bill Posey, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Dennis Ross and Ted Yoho signed the letter. So did Florida Democrats U.S. Reps. Lois Frankel, Alan Grayson, Alcee Hastings, Patrick Murphy and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Citrus greening has impacted agriculture in the Sunshine State in recent years and the news is only get worse. Florida orange output will drop almost 30 percent from what it was last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) forecast earlier this month.
NASS predicted 69.0 million boxes of oranges from Florida this season, below the 74 million it forecast last month and the 80 million included in October's forecast. This latest number represents a 29 percent reduction from last year’s output. NASS forecast 36 million boxes of early, midseason and Navel oranges, down 24 percent from last year. The forecast for Florida Valencia oranges stood at 33 million boxes, down 33 percent from last season and an 11 percent drop from NASS’ prediction last month.
The decline in Florida citrus in recent years is mostly the result of Huanglongbing (HLB), better known as citrus greening.
Spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, a tiny insect, citrus greening infects trees, leading to deformed and bitter fruit. Eventually, citrus greening kills the tree. One of the few ways to fight citrus greening is by removing the tree.
In 2013, the Florida citrus industry -- which generates $9 billion and employs more than 75,000 Floridians -- saw its worst year in almost a quarter century and that downward trend has been continuing. Earlier this year, the USDA awarded $30 million to fight citrus greening and, back in April, launched a project with an additional $23 million in grants to fight citrus greening.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
