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“THE IMPORTANCE OF CITRUS TRISTEZA VIRUS RESEARCH TO THE FLORIDA CITRUS COMMUNITY” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1104 on June 18, 1996.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE IMPORTANCE OF CITRUS TRISTEZA VIRUS RESEARCH TO THE FLORIDA CITRUS
COMMUNITY
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HON. CHARLES T. CANADY
of florida
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, June 18, 1996
Mr. CANADY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, citrus is a major food crop in terms of nutrition, generation of income, foreign exchange, and employment in the United States.
There are approximately 1.2 million acres of citrus in the United States, and the annual retail value is over $17 billion. The citrus industry in the United States exceeds $19 billion in gross revenue.
Florida has 850,000 acres in citrus groves, 70,000 people employed in the citrus industry and 74,000 people employed indirectly, which means on-tree revenues of $9 billion to Florida.
Citrus is the No. 1 fresh produce commodity grown in California and Florida and there is substantial acreage in Arizona, Louisiana and Texas. Hawaii and Puerto Rico are also increasing their citrus industry to reduce their dependence on imports.
The American citrus industry produces table quality navel and Valencia oranges, and my home State of Florida, grows oranges for fresh juice and juice concentrate. Florida is also one of the world leaders in export quality oranges, lemons and grapefruit.
Unfortunately, this vital industry is being threatened by the brown citrus aphid, which is the most efficient transmitter of the citrus tristeza virus. This virus threatens the entire U.S. crop.
Arizona, California, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas have formed a research council to study the eradication of the brown citrus aphid and the citrus tristeza virus. This research is supported by the industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the land grant colleges.
The farm bill, which the Congress passed earlier this year also, recognized the importance of eradicating this disease before it takes over and destroys the American citrus crop. The legislation authorized
$3 million to be spent on Citrus Tristeza Virus research.
Mr. Speaker it is extremely important for us to supply the 1997 funding needed to carry out this research and keep out citrus industry healthy in Florida and elsewhere in the United States.
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