John Schwarz: “CCC funds are transferred to APHIS because of foreign Animals, Pests & Diseases that have come into the United States…”

“CCC funds are transferred to APHIS because of foreign Animals, Pests & Diseases that have come into the United States and are destroying agriculture resources and products. Since this is a tight budget year and the dollars appropriated will not fully take care of the emergency situation of the spread of EAB and the millions of ash trees in need of more attention from the CCC and OMB. Therefore, this amendment is a sense of Congress to support the requests of USDA and APHIS to fund the eradication program of EAB within Michigan before it spreads to other states. Michigan has natural barriers which are the great lakes that provide a natural containment with this emergency eradication plan. This is an emergency situation for our agriculture community and as with any invasive species, we continue to run in to the obstacle of funding from OMB. With this amendment we want the OMB to reconsider the severity of the EAB situation. This amendment is meant to suggest, in strong terms, that it is Congress's intent that the mechanism within this statute is to be used to meet the foreign pest emergency needs of Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland & Michigan.”