Addressing citrus greening in Starr County and Rio Grande Valley
Texas Border Business
Washington — Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28), a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Subcommittees on Homeland Security and Defense, released the following statement on USDA Expanding Area Quarantined for Citrus Greening in Starr County:
“Today, USDA announced that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service aphis, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Texas citrus industry, is expanding the quarantine area for citrus greening disease to include Starr, Aransas, Brooks, Calhoun, and Nueces Counties in response to positive detections of the disease in the region. This will allow APHIS to prevent the spread of citrus greening from spreading to non-infested areas.”
“The spread of citrus greening has put the domestic citrus industry’s future in jeopardy. Last month, I announced in a press release that I helped secure over $120 million in the FY18 Omnibus Appropriations Act to combat diseases like citrus greening that impact the citrus industry, and I am working hard to ensure that these funds are directed to citrus growers who need them most, like those in Starr County and the Rio Grande Valley.”
