Political Quotes

“this amendment I offer would increase funding for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, APHIS, by $1.227 million for the purpose of eradicating plum pox disease. This funding effort would allow for the total amount of funding for this program at APHIS to be $3.443 million, the same level that was appropriated in fiscal year 2005. The amendment I offer is important to the fruit growers both in Pennsylvania and across our Nation. It would help to bring an end to the most significant and destructive virus that affects our stone fruit grower, plum pox. The virus is extremely damaging to fruit production. The plum pox virus is capable of causing disease in fruits such as peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, sweet and sour cherries. Tree yields can be severely affected. Some reports claim 80 to 100 percent premature fruit drop in some plum varieties. Infected fruit may be unsightly and difficult to sell as table fruit. Export of fruit is difficult; export of budwood and nursery stock is next to impossible. With the discovery of plum pox virus in Pennsylvania in September of 1999, a survey and eradication program was put in place. Through 5 years of survey, research and control action, the program has been successful in both containing and almost completely eradicating the virus. In fact, in 2004, for the first time no plum pox virus was found outside of existing quarantine areas.…”