Sec. 2. Findings

289 words·~1 min read·/bill/115/hr/3509/ih/section-2

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Congress finds the following: The citrus industry is grappling with the most serious threat in its history: a bacterial disease called citrus greening or Huanglongbing that on the date of the enactment of this Act, does not have a cure. Huanglongbing has caused a reduction in citrus production by over 60 percent since 2007 in Florida. All citrus-producing counties in Texas are under quarantine, the Asian Citrus Psyllid (the vector of the disease) has been found in backyard trees in California, and the disease has also been found in Arizona.

The spread of this disease places the domestic citrus industry’s future into question and has caused the loss of thousands of jobs and millions in revenue. Great progress has been made through Federal, State and industry collaboration, but it is imperative that Congress provide further research funding and grower assistance. The citrus industry will only eradicate the disease through research funding for short-term and long-term cures and by ensuring there are adequate incentives for growers to replace diseased trees.

The Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program is a program to discover and develop tools for early detection, control, and eradication of diseases and pests that threaten domestic citrus production and processing that receives $25,000,000 per year in mandatory funding through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. The Citrus Health Response Program

(CHRP)is a national effort to protect the domestic citrus industry from invasive citrus pests and diseases through partnerships with State departments of agriculture and industry groups. The Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination Group (HLB-MAC) is instrumental in helping respond to critical issues that impact the health of the citrus industry. The Tree Assistance Program has aided growers in replacing diseased trees, but expanding access to this assistance is needed.