The
USDA
is providing more than
$16 million
to
California
for projects that protect the state's food supply and natural resources. This funding is part of a nationwide effort to strengthen pest detection, surveillance, and mitigation infrastructure.
California's
agricultural industry is crucial to the national economy, with agricultural exports generating over
$22 billion
in 2021.
Key Highlights:
*
USDA
is allocating more than
$16 million
to
California
for pest detection, surveillance, and mitigation.
*
USDA
is providing more than
$70 million
in funding for 374 projects across the US.
*
California
agricultural exports generated more than
$22 billion
in 2021.
Original Press Release:
WASHINGTON
,
Feb. 6
--
U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) issued the following news release:
The
U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) is allocating more than
$16 million
to
California
as part of a nationwide effort to strengthen the country’s infrastructure for pest detection, surveillance, and mitigation, as well as protect the
U.S.
nursery system. Through the authority of the Plant Protection Act Section 7721,
USDA
is providing more than
$70 million
in funding this year. These funds will support 374 projects in all 50 states, the
District of Columbia
,
Guam
, the
Northern Mariana Islands
, and
Puerto Rico
.
“In 2021,
California
agricultural exports generated more than
$22 billion
. The state has about 24 million acres in farmland, which last year generated more than
$55 billion
in revenue. Protecting that industry is essential to maintaining a strong national agricultural economy,” said USDA Under Secretary
Jenny Moffitt
.
These funds will support statewide projects covering a range of plant health and pest mitigation activities including, but not limited to:
*
$5 million
to survey for invasive fruit flies;
* More than
$4 million
to support agricultural detector dog teams, which search for destructive invasive plant pests in mail facilities receiving international goods;
* More than
$3.3 million
to support National Clean Plant Network foundation plant stocks free from economically damaging diseases;
*
$2 million
to support state Emergency Plant Health Response teams managing outbreaks of exotic plant pests;
*
$800,000
for develop an
Asian Citrus Psyllid Detector Canine Program for California
and
Arizona
;
*
$430,000
to support a grape commodity survey;
*
$400,000
to survey for Asian defoliator moths;
*
$533,630
to develop integrated pest management tools to slow the spread of box tree moth in the
U.S.
;
*
$315,000
to develop a research nursery for quarantine plant pathogens; and
*
$240,000
for research on viruses in strawberry nursery production in the
U.S.
Since 2009,
USDA
has supported more than 5,520 projects and provided nearly
$870 million
in PPA 7721 funding. These projects help
USDA
, and its partners quickly detect and respond to invasive plant pests and diseases. They also help our country maintain the essential infrastructure in place that enables
U.S.
specialty crop producers to have access to healthy, certified disease-free plants.
View the fiscal year 2023 Plant Protection Act’s Section 7721 spending plans online: www.aphis.usda.gov/ppa-projects.
USDA
touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the
Biden-Harris Administration
,
USDA
is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
[Category: Paper/Forest Products, Specialty Retail,
Packaged Foods & Meats
, Funding Activities]
Source:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA)
