On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of more than $70 million for 2025 through the 2008 Farm Bill’s Plant Protection Act’s Section 7721 program. Funding-supported projects will strengthen our defenses against plant pests and diseases, safeguard the U.S. nursery system, and enhance pest detection and mitigation efforts.
Projects of interest to California Citrus growers include:
- $1,600,921 for certified, disease-free citrus planting materials to protect American nurseries and growers from economic losses caused by citrus plant diseases.
- $5,795,692 to support detector dog team training and maintenance for domestic pest detection in California, Florida, and nationally.
- $1,680,121 to support stone fruit and orchard pest detection surveys in 10 states, including California.
The USDA also plans to allocate approximately $10 million for rapid responses to invasive pest emergencies involving pests with high economic consequences. The USDA has used these funds in the past to respond quickly to threats, such as the invasive fruit flies we saw in California last year.
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