Congress included an additional $4.5 million to combat citrus greening in the $1.1 trillion federal budget resolution approved earlier this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The additional funds\u00a0support\u00a0the Citrus Health Response Program (CHRP), which oversees\u00a0best practices\u00a0for\u00a0citrus growers dealing with citrus greening and other diseases. Managed by the\u00a0federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the program received a total of $48 million in the budget resolution, which is split among the\u00a0citrus-producing states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to The Ledger<\/a>, program officials in Florida are seeking $8.3 million of it, some of which could go toward an abandoned grove initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a statement<\/a>, Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland<\/a>, said\u00a0the budget resolution is crucial to\u00a0the state\u2019s agriculture\u00a0as it provides much needed funds to combat citrus greening, which is \u201cdecimating the Florida citrus industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both Ross and Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Okeechobee,<\/a> helped secure\u00a0the additional funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n