Due to hurricanes, citrus greening and unfair trade pressures, Florida’s citrus growers are increasingly left with little choice but to sell their land to developers, said US Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Because of that, he introduced the Conservation Reserve Program Amendments Act to establish a subprogram under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to conserve citrus agricultural land. The legislation seeks to address one aspect of our nation’s food security by preventing the permanent loss of Florida agricultural lands to development and helping to protect critical wildlife corridors throughout the state.
Specifically, this bill would authorize a subprogram for the CRP to conserve lands on which citrus has been grown over the last 10 years. The program would prioritize easements for lands impacted by citrus greening that are at risk of development or are thoroughfares for species listed under the Endangered Species Act. It would require enrollees to remediate fallow groves that spread the citrus greening disease. The legislation would ensure that citrus growers have the option to preserve their land while promising treatments for citrus greening are being produced, and new saplings are grown.
Read the full article on citrusindustry.net.