The Spotted Lanternfly

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to an invasive pest that is wreaking havoc on farms and forests nationwide and is giving Pennsylvania agricultural producers a major headache. I am talking about the spotted lanternfly. This native Asian insect has been found in at least 14 different counties in Pennsylvania and has spread to our neighbors in Maryland and New Jersey as well.

The spotted lanternfly feeds on sap, leaving all the plants that it touches weakened. The residue that the spotted lanternflies leave behind promotes mold growth which destroys many plants and crops. The spotted lanternfly has a diverse appetite, feeding on more than 70 different kinds of plants. From fruit trees to hardwoods and nursery industries, so many of the sectors of Pennsylvania's agricultural industry are subject to these pests.

In Pennsylvania alone, it is estimated $18 billion in agriculture is at risk. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has issued a checklist that all residents should consult to check for spotted lanternfly egg masses. These things include camping equipment, firewood, outdoor children's toys, like playscapes and sandboxes, and more. By the end of the year, most adult spotted lanternflies will be dead. However, residents are encouraged to rid their property of any egg masses that they find by dowsing them in alcohol.

Thankfully, research is being done to look into the best ways to combat this pest and eradicate it from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture recently awarded the Pennsylvania State University a $7.3 million grant to support a team of researchers from a variety of disciplines. It is a good investment if we can save $18 billion worth of agriculture damage.

These funds will be combined with an additional $5 million in investments from growers and landowners--private citizens who agreed to work with researchers on this project. Researchers and extension educators from Penn State will be joined by additional experts from the USDA Agricultural Research Service, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Virginia Tech, University of Delaware, the Universities of Rhode Island, Temple, Rutgers, Cornell, and the Northeastern IPM Center.

With continued education and research into this invasive pest, we can get closer to finding a solution to dealing with the spotted lanternfly and alleviating Pennsylvania's agricultural producers of this threat.

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