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PATHOGEN DETECTION, CONSERVATION EFFORTS AMONG PROGRAMS FUNDED Maitland,
Fla. (February 6, 2006) - The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA)
today applauded President Bush's FY 2007 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
budget for addressing several areas close to the hearts of Florida growers. In
releasing the budget's details, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said that the
total expenditures are estimated at about $93 billion in 2007, about $3 billion
below the 2006 level. The majority of the budget will go to mandated programs
including nutrition assistance, commodity export promotion and conservation programs.
The remaining amount, about 23 percent of the total, represents USDA's discretionary
programs. Among
those is the multi-agency Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative. USDA's share
would be $322 million out of a total of about $640 million. Of that amount, $42
million would go to research aimed at ensuring food safety, developing the means
to quickly identify pathogens and preventing diseases in animals. About $62 million
will be earmarked for enhancing surveillance and monitoring activities to quickly
detect pest and disease threats, and to improve response capabilities. "Producers
in Florida are historically vulnerable to pests and diseases coming into our ports,"
said FFVA President Mike Stuart. "Citrus canker, which was exacerbated by
In
addition to funding increases for the fight against foreign pathogens, USDA upped
its investment in energy-related projects by $18 million to a new total of $85
million. The 2007 budget also includes proposals to enhance crop insurance coverage
and reduce costs to deliver the program. And it proposes more than $4 million
to continue and expand conservation programs included in the 2002 Farm Bill. Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association is an agricultural trade organization representing Florida's producers of fruits, vegetables and other crops. ###
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©2008 Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association
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