Tropical Plant Health Initiative Act
This bill, titled the Tropical Plant Health Initiative Act, would amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to create a focused set of research and extension grants aimed at pests and noxious weeds that affect tropical crops. It authorizes the USDA to fund projects that develop science-based tools and treatments, establish area-wide pest management programs, collect data on production and plant health, and conduct research on the biology, ecology, genomics, and immune-related aspects of these tropical plants. The crops explicitly named include coffee, macadamia, cacao, plantains/bananas, mangoes, floriculture and nursery crops, vanilla, and other tropical plants to be determined by the Secretary. The section also updates the appropriations timeline, extending authorized funding through 2030. Overall, the bill seeks to bolster tropical plant resilience and pest control through targeted research, data collection, and coordinated management.
Key Points
- 1Creates the Tropical Plant Health Initiative as a new program under the existing research and extension grant framework in the FAC&T Act (Section 1672(d)).
- 2Eligible activities include: (A) developing and disseminating science-based tools and treatments to combat pests and noxious weeds affecting tropical plants; (B) establishing areawide integrated pest management (IPM) programs in affected areas; (C) surveying and data collection on production and plant health; (D) researching biology, immunology, ecology, genomics, and bioinformatics of tropical plants; (E) studying factors related to plant immune systems and other threats.
- 3Crop scope covers coffee, macadamia, cacao, plantains/bananas, mangos, floriculture/nursery crops, vanilla, and other tropical plants as determined by the Secretary.
- 4Authorization of appropriations is updated to extend funding through 2030 (replacing the prior 2023 endpoint).
- 5The program references definitions of plant pests and noxious weeds as defined in the Plant Protection Act, ensuring alignment with existing plant health and biosecurity authorities.