More than $1 million in new federal funding is being allocated to support research within the citrus industry. The funding was included as part of the omnibus spending package that was recently passed by Congress. It comes as welcome news to California Citrus Mutual (CCM) and the Citrus Research Board (CRB). The funding will be used for developing a new citrus breeding program at the USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS) field station in Parlier.
“The addition of the breeding facility in Parlier will make the ARS Citrus Program a truly national project,” CCM President and CEO Casey Creamer said in a news release. “We look forward to watching the growth of this program and its collaboration with the UC breeding program to find solutions to the issues California citrus growers are faced with every day.”
The new citrus breeding program in Parlier will complement other efforts taking place in the USDA ARS citrus program in Florida. Successes from the Florida program include varieties with improved disease resistance, higher yields, and improved shelf life. The California citrus breeding program will be dedicated to working on varieties suited for the state. “Expanding the current national citrus breeding program into California will have a significant impact on California’s citrus industry as growers aim to mitigate the evolving issues that affect production and increase yield through varietal research,” said CRB President Marcy L. Martin.
The spending bill passed by Congress also addresses other priorities for the citrus industry. Included in the legislation is continued funding for the Citrus Health Response Program. The federal funding supporting the new citrus breeding program in Parlier will be re-appropriated on an annual basis. CRB has also committed $500,000 toward establishing the program. The breeding efforts of the program in Parlier will also coincide with the work of the citrus breeding program at UC Riverside.
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