On Monday, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would send $30 million to battle Huanglongbing (HLB), better known as citrus greening. The money will be used to fund projects through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative Citrus Disease Research and Education (CDRE) studying how to fight the disease. The University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville will get $13.5 million of those funds.
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.
"Our HLB Multi-Agency Coordination Group has worked closely with the citrus industry to select and fund projects that we think will make a real difference for growers against HLB," said Vilsack on Monday. "Funding these projects through cooperative agreements puts us one step closer to putting real tools to fight this disease into the hands of citrus growers. Through the CDRE research we are announcing today, we are also investing in long-term solutions to diseases that threaten the long-term survival of the citrus industry."
The USDA will fund projects looking at best management, pest control, early detection, various treatment efforts, detection tests, efforts to trap and kill the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) which is the vector of HLB.
From his perch on the U.S. House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, a key congressional Republican applauded the USDA committing more funds to battling citrus greening.
Citrus greening disease poses an existential threat to Floridas citrus industry and the 76,000 jobs it supports, U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., said on Monday. This new funding will support projects to help Floridas growers detect diseases early and manage infected groves, while investing in long-term research right here in Florida to eradicate greening.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
