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Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced over $124 million in federal funds to help struggling South Texas citrus growers. The funds, included in the U.S. House of Representatives’ fiscal year 2020 Agriculture Appropriations bill, will provide support to citrus farmers and help protect the industry against pests and disease. By allocating funds towards various efforts to help preserve citrus-trees in the Rio Grande Valley, citrus-farmers can preserve the value of their crops and maintain industry prices for consumers.

Federal Dollars Delivered to Citrus Growers

In the House measure, Congressman Cuellar secured $61 million for the Citrus Health Response Program, including $3 million for the Huanglongbird Multi-Agency Coordination (HLB-MAC) Group, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The goal of the HLB-MAC is to combat citrus greening disease through research efforts and coordination between state and federal regulator agencies. Additionally, the Congressman ensured that $63 million was provided for fruit fly exclusion and detection. This funding will help to control the invasive crop pest, which threatens numerous South Texas agricultural products, including citruses.

Citrus Production Threatened by Fruit Flies

The Fruit Fly Exclusion and Detection Programs protect the health and value of American agricultural resources threatened by the establishment of exotic fruit fly populations. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS is concerned with the risk of the northward spread of exotic fruit fly species into the United States via Mexico. Mexico is an especially high-risk pathway due to the shared border and the large numbers of people migrating from fruit fly infested areas of Central America and Mexico to the United States.

Fruit flies spend their larval stages feeding and growing in over 400 host plants. Introduction of these pest species into the United States causes economic losses from destruction and spoiling of host commodities by larvae, costs associated with implementing control measures, and loss of market share due to restrictions on shipment of host commodities. The extensive damage and wide host range of fruit flies become obstacles to agricultural diversification and trade when pest fruit fly species become established.

Recognizing the urgency of tackling citrus greening disease

Congressman Cuellar also included language in the Agriculture appropriations bill to encourage APHIS to allocate sufficient resources to address the issue of citrus greening and directs HLB-MAC to give out resources in the best way possible to maximize the effect it can have on the disease.

Agricultural Research Service

Within the bill, Congressman Cuellar incorporated language commending the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) on its citrus greening research efforts and to continue its cooperation with HLB-MAC. The language encourages the agency to continue working to curb the spread of the disease and enhance immunity in citrus trees as well as to work with industry, universities, growers, and other partners to develop effective ways of controlling the disease. ARS is a member of HLB-MAC.

In addition, the Congressman included language encouraging the continuation of good work with industry, universities, growers, and other partners to develop effective control mechanisms in the fight against citrus greening. The hope behind these working groups is to bring together relevant stakeholders, develop innovative solutions and help USDA choose good projects that will bring us closer to short-term and long-term solutions to the citrus greening problem, in addition to an eventual cure.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

The Congressman secured language for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service encouraging the use of CHRP funds to partner with state departments of agriculture and industry groups to address the disease in addition to encouraging APHIS to use the funds available in the Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Preventions Programs account and in the funds for CHRP to keep the citrus industry viable.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Finally, Congressman Cuellar included language for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture that prioritizes citrus greening research projects through the Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program, which was created under the 2014 farm bill, and encourages the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to work with the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Advisory Board’s citrus disease subcommittee and to collaborate with HLB-MAC.

More Information on the U.S. Citrus Production 

The U.S. citrus industry has an economic footprint of $11 billion; however, due to Citrus Greening Disease and fruit fly prevalence, the industry has faced steep damages and economic losses. All the citrus growing counties in Texas are under quarantine, and the State of Florida has seen a reduction in citrus production of over 60% since 2007. In addition, the Asian Citrus Psyllid, the vector of the Greening Disease, continues to spread into new agricultural communities.

“Our citrus growers are a large contributor to South Texas’ economy, and their crop and livelihood is being threatened. It is a top priority for me to control these pests and find a cure to the disease.” said Congressman Cuellar. As a member of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, I have an obligation to ensure the U.S. Department of Agriculture has the funding to provide aid to our citrus growers and protect our food supply.  I will continue to provide funding for the Texas Citrus Farmers while we work to find a cute for the citrus greening disease.

 “I would like to thank my fellow Appropriators, Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Fortenberry for helping me secure these funds. Additionally, I recognize Texas Citrus Mutual and Texas A&M for their continued efforts to help fight citrus-greening within our state. Lastly, I would like to thank my fellow South Texas Representatives, Congressmen Vicente Gonzalez and Filemon Vela, for their dedication to help Texas’s citrus industry.”

Dale Murden of Texas Citrus Mutual, a nonprofit trade association representing Texas citrus growers, and Chancellor John Sharpe of The Texas A&M University System have personally seen the effects of citrus diseases like citrus greening since it was first positively identified in the Valley in 2008.

“Congressman Cuellar has been a tireless Champion for the entire US citrus industry, not just Texas.  As we struggle to combat the deadly effects of huanglongbing in our industry, these funds are absolutely necessary for research funding to give our growers and scientists the tools needed to find cures and fight this deadly disease.  We cannot thank him enough for his unwavering support, “stated Dale Murden.

“Representative Cuellar’s persistence has paid off once again by securing funding for this important research,” said John Sharp. “Beef cattle and citrus are two pillars of the South Texas economy. Investing in research to eradicate cattle tick fever and to fight a devastating disease that can take out your citrus crops is a wise investment in South Texas’ future.”

To see a summary of the FY20 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, click here.

To see Congressman Cuellar speak during the Appropriations Committee, click here.