At a media event in Orlando on Wednesday, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the opening of $23 million in USDA grants for projects taking on 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.
"Citrus greening threatens citrus production in the United States and other nations," said Vilsack on Wednesday. "It will take continued collaboration with growers, state governments, and researchers to find viable solutions to end this harmful disease. Only long-term solutions through research will help to stop this disease that threatens the livelihoods of thousands of citrus producers and workers and billions of dollars in sales."
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. Earlier in the year, the USDA awarded $30 million to fight citrus greening.
The new funds were included in last years farm bill as part of the Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program (CDRE). The grants will be sent out through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
From his perch on the U.S. House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., who helped include CDRE in the Farm Bill, urged Florida researchers to apply for the funds. Rooney also pointed to the damage citrus greening has done to the Sunshine State.
Today may be April Fools Day, but citrus greening disease is no joking matter, Rooney said. Greening has already infected 75 percent of Floridas citrus crop, and it has cost our state more than 1,000 acres of citrus groves, $4.5 billion, and 8,000 jobs.
While citrus greening disease poses an existential threat to Floridas citrus industry, the best research to fight it is already taking place right here in our state, and we should keep it that way, Rooney added. I strongly encourage Floridas state agencies, colleges and universities, research labs and private groups to apply for these new grants. By partnering with USDA through the program we created in the Farm Bill, we can help Floridas growers detect diseases early, manage infected groves, and ultimately eradicate greening.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
