Aphis funds are being provided for a variety of survey, regulatory and outreach initiatives in support of florida's citrus health program

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) awarded the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Florida $8.895 million in a Cooperative Agreement on May 1, 2026, to deliver survey, regulatory, and outreach initiatives supporting Florida's Citrus Health Program.

The recipient performs grove pre-harvest surveys, citrus black spot surveys, grower-requested surveys, nursery inspection programs, citrus bud wood protection, a biocontrol rearing program, regulatory efforts, multiple pest surveys, quality assurance, diagnostics, and public relations activities. The program manages existing quarantine pests including Asian citrus psyllid, citrus greening, sweet orange scab, citrus black spot, and citrus canker while proactively surveying for exotic citrus pests not yet established in Florida, including citrus leprosis, citrus variegated chlorosis, citrus yellow vein clearing virus, citrus fruit borer, and exotic fruit flies.

Deliverables and expected outcomes include identifying the presence of citrus canker, citrus black spot, sweet orange scab, and citrus greening disease; preventing further spread of these diseases to other citrus-producing areas of the United States; managing diseases to maintain interstate and international export markets; and detecting exotic citrus pests before establishment in the state. The recipient engages with state, federal, university, and industry stakeholders in this effort.

Period of performance runs from May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027. Work is performed in Florida. The citrus-producing industry of Florida and the United States are the intended beneficiaries.

Activities

This agreement supports our state cooperator in delivering a number of critical survey and regulatory initiatives in order to manage multiple federal quarantines, proactively survey for significant exotic citrus pests not known to occur in florida and engage with a number of other state, federal, university and industry stakeholders. These activities include the following: grove pre-harvest survey, citrus black spot survey, grower requested survey, nursery inspection program, citrus BUD wood protection, a biocontrol rearing program, regulatory efforts, multiple pest survey, citrus black spot survey, a quality assurance program and public relations and a robust diagnostics program. Deliverables and expected outcomes: through this mutually beneficial cooperative effort, the cooperator and aphis endeavor to identify where citrus canker, citrus black spot, sweet orange scab, and citrus greening disease are present, prevent the further spread of the diseases to other citrus-producing areas of the united states, and manage the diseases to maintain both interstate and international export markets. Both parties will also endeavor to detect the presence of other exotic citrus pests before they have had the opportunity to become established within the state.intended beneficiary(IES): the citrus-producing industry of florida, and that of the united states will directly benefit from the efforts of this project. The scope of the work involved is designed specifically to manage existing citrus pest issues to prevent further spread, and to monitor for new pests that could become established and pose a threat to the nation's citrus industry as a whole. These pro cesses are implemented to ensure interstate and international trade markets remain viable options for our producers. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: N/a. Large cost categories: personnel: full time staff (149) for 2080HRS @various rates=$61,318.40, 58 parttime = $575,344.22=$4,247,780.22. Fringe benefits @ 45%= $2,012,188.34. Travel: (in and out of state) 17,172. Equipment (vehicles, atvs and trailers) = $55,888.60. Supplies: (chemical and lab) = $166,092.74. Contractual: (office space, legal, repairs, data and public relations) =$140,115.22. Other: $256,305.89