Florida Receives Federal Pest Control Funding

By  //  April 3, 2013

$6 Million Targeted To Halt Crop Diseases

BREVARD COUNTY • TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has announced the state will receive $6 million in federal funding through the federal Farm Bill to help eradicate pests and control diseases that affect agriculture.

Florida will receive $6 million in federal funding through the federal Farm Bill to help eradicate pests and control diseases that affect local agriculture. (Shutterstock image)

“This funding will help Florida protect its agriculture from pest and disease invaders that are threatening entire industries,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. “We must continue to fight to save our citrus, our honey bees and our environment for future generations.”

The spending plan for the pest and disease control section of the Farm Bill was released by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The purpose of the funding is to prevent the introduction and spread of plant pests and diseases that threaten the U.S. agriculture and environment.

This will strengthen pest surveillance, detection and identification and help mitigate these threats.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is receiving $5.4 million of the statewide total, with the rest going to research programs.

State programs that will be funded include:

• Giant African Land Snail Mitigation

• Florida Detector Dog Teams

• Research and Development for Citrus Health

• Traveler’s Don’t Pack a Pest Outreach Program

• Protection of Avocado Production

• Honey Bee National Survey

For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit www.FreshFromFlorida.com.