The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is continuing its fight against a disease that has been known to destroy citrus orchards.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced earlier this week that $25 million from the 2014 Farm Bill has been allocated to fund research and Cooperative Extension Service projects to fight Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening.
An additional $6.5 million in funding has also been earmarked to combat HLB through the USDA’s Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination Group.
HLB is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid. Once a tree is infected, its fruits turn green, misshapen and taste bitter. According to SaveOurCitrus.org, the infected trees die within a few years of contracting HLB. There is no cure to save the infected trees.
Additional information about the funding allocated to fight HLB can be found here: http://bit.ly/1lB5TPv.