A group of Congresspeople from California is urging the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary, Brooke Rollins, to release $32.2 million for the eradication of the glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS).
In a letter penned by US Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-CA), along with Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA) and David Valadao (R-CA), and signed by a group of 10 California US Representatives from both sides of the aisle, the lawmakers explained that the pest doesn’t only feed on grapevines, but is a vector for Pierce’s Disease (PD), an incurable malady that kills the plants “by clogging their water-conducting vessels.”
“This pest and its associated disease pose a potentially catastrophic threat to these industries. If left unchecked, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) estimates that losses associated with PD/GWSS could eclipse $104 million annually,” reads the document.
Image courtesy of Napa County Government
As a producer of 99 percent of American grapes, California is synonymous with the US wine and table grape industries, which are currently worth $170.5 billion and $2.59 billion, respectively, according to the CDFA.
The missive, which was sent to Secretary Rollins on June 16, followed a specific May spread event in which authorities identified GWSS-infested nursery stock distributed to various Costco locations, including Alameda, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Sonoma, and Yuba Counties.
Authorities suspect that the material in question is now spread out in at least 38 counties, a lot of them “near key grape-producing regions.”
The $32.2 million would come from the Commodity Credit Corporation, which lawmakers say the USDA can legally use “in connection with an emergency in which a plant pest or noxious weed threatens any segment of the agricultural Production.”
Image courtesy of Napa County Government
According to CDFA estimates, $3.2 million of the requested sum will fund emergency operations in response to the May spread event, including tracing, surveying, and trapping. Additionally, $15 million will go toward implementing a three-year GWSS trapping and survey program, while $14 million will cover GWSS eradication costs for the next four years, which authorities believe will be necessary as the pest becomes more prevalent.
“The wine, winegrape, and table grape industries are a highlight of American agriculture, and your support during this challenging time will ensure US wine and table grapes can continue to compete in the global market,” the letter concludes.
Read the full letter below
*Main image courtesy of USDA-APHIS
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