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Florida Citrus-Canker Quarantine

Date: June 13, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Agriculture and Food


FLORIDA CITRUS-CANKER QUARANTINE -- (Senate - June 13, 2006)

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr President, I rise to call on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reconsider its recent decision to ban Florida's citrus industry from shipping fruit to other citrus-producing States, as this decision could adversely affect a major segment of my State's economy.

Specifically, the Government ban lacks adequate scientific backing and could even harm Florida's ability to trade with other citrus-producing countries.

This industry has long played an important role in my State's economy, and the Government has often been supportive and helpful, including after the past two hurricane seasons that were devastating to the industry and spread canker extensively, making eradication no longer possible.

While the Department of Agriculture has helped the industry recover from the storms and with combating canker in the past, I am hopeful it will do so again in a way that does not cause more harm than good.

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