Sen. Cornyn Introduces Bill To Protect Texas Citrus Industry From Harmful Diseases

Press Release

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today announced the introduction of bipartisan legislation to direct funding to the research of citrus diseases, with specific emphasis on putting a stop to the Citrus Greening disease, which has destroyed 100,000 citrus acres in Florida and threatens to do similar harm in Texas if a cure is not discovered in the very near future. The Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund Act will create a dedicated source of funds for researching citrus diseases at no cost to taxpayers. Sen. Cornyn's legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Bill Nelson, D-FL, and Diane Feinstein, D-CA.

"The Citrus Greening disease is catastrophic and is spreading. In just 2 years Florida lost 100,000 acres of groves to the disease, and we do not want to see that happen in Texas. Texas growers have discovered the pest that carries the disease, and it is only a matter of time until the disease develops here. This problem is a ticking time bomb, and scientific research is the only way to stop it," Sen. Cornyn said.

"The citrus greening disease is not only in Florida but also present in Louisiana to the east of Texas and has infected at least six states in Mexico, our neighbor to the south. It is without a doubt the most serious disease that threatens the very survival of the Texas and the entire U.S. citrus industry. We are grateful to Senator Cornyn for sponsoring this critically important legislation because without new research based solutions there is no chance of stopping this disease," said Ray Prewett, president of Texas Citrus Mutual.

"We applaud Senator Cornyn and others for proposing legislation that will provide long-term funding for citrus pest and disease research," said Robert J. Underbrink, President/CEO of King Ranch, Inc. "This legislation is absolutely critical to the protection of the entire U.S. citrus industry."

Citrus Greening

* The Citrus Greening disease is devastating because there is currently no cure. Growers are forced to destroy and replant infected groves. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established quarantine zones that severely limit the movement of live trees as a method of isolating the disease, but it continues to spread.

Texas Impact

* Texas scientists have identified the pest that carries the disease, but state-funded research has been unable to develop a cure.

* USDA has quarantined 30 Texas counties, barring citrus plants from being moved across state lines into or out of these areas. Following this federally mandated quarantine, the State of Texas quarantined all remaining counties to prohibit intrastate movement of trees.

* Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples estimates that the Texas citrus industry adds over $120 million to the state's economy and supports 2000 jobs--mainly in rural south and west Texas along the Rio Grande River.

* Scientists in Texas and other affected states are researching methods to eradicate the disease, and Sen. Cornyn's legislation would provide much-needed support to spur their research forward.

Budget Neutral

* The funding for Sen. Cornyn's legislation will come at no expense to taxpayers, as it will be derived from existing duties that are collected on imported citrus products. The bill authorizes up to $30 million in tariff diversions annually into the new citrus trust fund.

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