Boxer Lauds Funding for Agriculture Pest-Control Efforts

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) lauded today’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that California will receive nearly $13.4 million in funding to improve agricultural pest detection and surveillance programs. Senator Boxer introduced the Pest Detection and Surveillance Act in 2007 and successfully negotiated key provisions of it into the 2008 farm bill.

Senator Boxer said, “I’m very pleased the USDA is carrying out legislation I introduced that became part of the farm bill. I proposed this legislation to help catch pest and disease infestations early at our ports of entry before they spread to our fields and orchards, hurting our farmers and our economy.”

The 2008 farm bill provision gave the USDA authority to enter into cooperative funding agreements with states to enhance pest detection and surveillance programs. The provision authorizes efforts such as increased inspections at domestic points of entry, pest trapping systems and pest eradication and prevention programs.

It authorized an investment of $200 million over five years in these programs. Today, the USDA allocated $45 million of that funding nationwide. The USDA estimates that the spending could help save or create up to 400 jobs nationwide.

The provision was modeled after the USDA/State Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey program, which helps to detect pests before they can become established. Early pest detection efforts are supported by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), the United Fresh Produce Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The USDA has had to spend hundreds of millions of dollars for emergency eradication of pests and diseases like the Mediterranean fruit fly, citrus canker and Pierce’s disease. Today’s funding is designed to help prevent similar infestations in the future.

Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) introduced companion legislation in the House.

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