USDA Provides more than $4.7 Million to Projects that Protect Florida Agriculture and Natural Resources

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Media Contacts:
Cecilia Sequeira, 301-851-4054
K.CeciliaSequeira@usda.gov

Suzanne Bond, 301-851-4070
Suzanne.M.Bond@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, January 18, 2023 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating more than $4.7 million to Florida 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. USDA is providing more than $70 million in funding this year to support 350 projects in 48 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. The Plant Protection Act Section 7721 gives USDA the authority to provide this funding.

“Florida’s 47,500 farms and ranches span 9.7 million acres. It’s a major producer of oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, and melons,” said USDA Under Secretary Jenny Moffitt. “These projects will help protect Florida’s agricultural industry, which by extension protects our national food security.”

These funds will support projects covering a range of plant health protection activities including, but not limited to:

  • $1.2 million to support detector dog inspection and domestic pest detection;
  • $1 million to survey for invasive fruit flies in the state;
  • $422,188 to support clean plant programs for citrus and grapes;
  • $349,154 to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registration requirements for Verticillium nonalfalfae use as a biopesticide to manage the invasive tree of heaven;
  • $250,000 to establish and test Brazilian peppertree biological control;
  • $215,030 to develop biological control agents for use against Cogongrass; and
  • $160,000 to survey tomatoes in the state for destructive, invasive pests.

Since 2009, USDA has supported more than 5,170 projects and provided nearly $809 million in PPA 7721 funding. Collectively, these projects allow USDA and its partners to quickly detect and rapidly respond to invasive plant pests and diseases. These projects also enable our country to maintain the infrastructure necessary to ensure disease-free, certified plants are available to U.S. specialty crop producers.

View the fiscal year 2023 Plant Protection Act’s Section 7721 spending plans on the USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website: www.aphis.usda.gov/ppa-projects.

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APHIS protects the health of U.S. agriculture and natural resources against invasive pests and diseases, regulates genetically engineered crops, administers the Animal Welfare Act, and helps people and wildlife coexist. We also certify the health of U.S. agricultural exports and resolve phytosanitary and sanitary issues to open, expand, and maintain markets for U.S plant and animal products.

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.