Jackson Falconer
WASHINGTON – A bill that aims to financially assist Florida farmers dealing with a disease that is destroying citrus crops was introduced Monday by
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Longboat Key) and
Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Jupiter).
H.R. 3957, or the Emergency Citrus Disease Response Act, would give farmers unable to replace their diseased citrus trees tax incentives.
Huanglongbing, or citrus greening, is a bacterial disease that hardens and deforms fruit, and kills fruit trees. An infected tree can die within two years.
Buchanan, who is the Co-Chairman of the Florida delegation and the Congressional Citrus Caucus, said in a statement that the legislation will assist citrus farmers financially in replanting citrus crops that were destroyed by greening. ”I’m especially pleased that a dozen of my colleagues from Florida joined me to help protect the livelihoods of the 76,000 Floridians directly and indirectly employed by the citrus industry.“
Florida's citrus industry is estimated to create $9 billion each year. The state's Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services is requesting that Tallahassee lawmakers provide $8.5 million for research into combating the disease, which was first detected in Florida in 2005. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is
forecasting a 23 percent decline in the state's citrus production from last year's production, with much of the decline due to greening.
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