From the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services today announced the state will receive $7.3 million in federal funding through the federal Farm Bill to help eradicate pests and control diseases that affect the state’s $120 billion agriculture industry.
“From citrus greening to giant African land snails and many others, pests and diseases are major threats to Florida agriculture,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. “This funding will help prevent the spread of pests and diseases throughout the state and help keep Florida’s $120 billion agriculture industry going strong.”
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) yesterday released the spending plan for the pest and disease control section of the Farm Bill. The purpose of the APHIS funding is to prevent the introduction and spread of plant pests and diseases that threaten the U.S. agriculture and environment. This funding will strengthen pest surveillance, detection and identification and help mitigate these threats.
The state programs that will be funded include:
• Giant African land snail mitigation.
• Detector dog inspections.
• Enhanced pest detection at high-risk domestic interdiction sites and marina/canal systems.
• Collaborative educational and regulatory activities between the Florida, California and Hawaii agriculture departments of agriculture.
• Research and development for citrus health, including producing clean germplasm.
• Mitigation of a variety of pests, including the Asian giant hornet, invasive snails and slugs, exotic whiteflies, brown marmorated stink bug and cactus moths.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit www.FreshFromFlorida.com.