Growers, politicians object to citrus rule change
Sen. Boxer, others denounce amendment in letter to USDA
Cecilia Parsons
Capital Press
An amendment to USDA citrus canker regulations allows greater leeway in shipping fresh fruit out of Florida, which has California growers concerned.
The disease, which causes lesions on fruit and leaves of infected fruit is found in several of Florida's citrus-producing counties but is not found in California.
The change allows non-infected fruit to be shipped even if it has originated from a grove that does have infected fruit. The new rule eliminates the pre-harvest grove inspection for all Florida citrus moving interstate. The citrus fruit may not be shipped to citrus-producing states.
Dr. Wally Ewert of the California Citrus Quality Council said the ruling has two major implications for the Califonria citrus industry.
"This less rigorous screening puts California at a high risk of receiving infected fruit," Ewert said. Even though the USDA has promised market surveillance, Ewert said past experience has shown the prohibitions are not effective.
In addition, other countries that have citrus canker are asking for the same consideration as Florida, said Ewert.
The inspection protocol affords less protection for the industry in California and placing similar access to citrus markets in the hands of some governents is asking for trouble, he said.
In response to the rule, 24 California representatives and Sen. Barbara Boxer signed a letter to the USDA denouncing the department's ruling. They said the amendment represents a dramatic change in policy.
The "systems approach" now in use, they said, is a shift from the department's previous decisions based on science. They also wrote that the USDA is eroding the phytosanitary standards that are critical in protecting U.S. agriculture.
The California Citrus Research Board's Ted Batkin agreed the new ruling is not science-based and appears to be a step back from interim rules. Citrus-producing states California, Arizona and Texas have filed counterarguments to the ruling, Batkin added.
According to a Sunkist newsletter, the new ruling lowers the bar in regard to phytosanitary security rules and places producers in disease-free and pest-free regions at a greater risk.
Only a portion of the Florida citrus industry is affected by the ruling. Nearly 90 percent of Florida citrus is processed for juice.
The state's tangerine growers objected to the interim rule because their crop is sold fresh and would be eliminated from out-of-state markets if one tree in the grove were infected with citrus canker.
Cecilia Parsons is a staff writer based in Ducor. E-mail:
cparsons@capitalpress.com.
Source:
http://www.capitalpress.info/main.asp?SectionID=67&SubSectionID=616&ArticleID=37096&TM=29711.88 
