Dive Brief:
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture declared $30 million in funding dedicated to research and development projects to handle an outbreak of Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening disease, which is diminishing the country's citrus production.
- About $7 million of funding will go to the HLB Multiagency Coordination Group, which focuses on providing the citrus industry with short-term tools to help combat the disease. These include early detection, thermotherapy treatment, and more.
- The other $23 million will go to universities to fund research and education initiatives for long-term results. These universities include University of California, Davis, University of California, Riverside, University of Florida, Gainesville, and Kansas State University.
Dive Insight:
The USDA has announced a number of funding rounds since the new year, several of which are dedicated to education for up-and-coming individuals in agriculture. On the same day as the citrus greening funding announcement, the USDA released news that it would also "strengthen the research, teaching and extension capabilities at 19 historically black land-grant colleges and universities" to provide more opportunities for training and recruitment in the agriculture industry. Similarly, in January, the USDA dedicated another $18 million to educate, mentor, and promote the sustainability of beginning farmers and ranchers.