Title: CITRUS Act
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Citrus Investment in Treatment and Research for U.S. Sustainability Act or the CITRUS Act
This bill amends several agricultural laws to authorize various Department of Agriculture (USDA) citrus programs.
The bill reauthorizes through FY2023: (1) the Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program, (2) the Citrus Health Response Program, and (3) the Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination Group. (Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening, is a disease that damages citrus trees and reduces citrus production. It is primarily spread through insects known as Asian citrus psyllids.)
The bill extends the termination date for USDA's Citrus Disease Subcommittee from September 30, 2018, until the subcommittee determines that Huanglongbing and the Asian citrus psyllid no longer pose a threat to U.S. citrus production.
The bill modifies the Tree Assistance Program to allow citrus producers to: (1) receive additional assistance under the program, and (2) have higher adjusted gross incomes while receiving benefits under the program. (The program provides financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines damaged by natural disasters, including disease.)

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3509 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3509

 To authorize certain citrus programs, to increase the limitations on 
  assistance for the tree assistance program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 27, 2017

  Mr. Thomas J. Rooney of Florida (for himself, Mr. Valadao, and Mr. 
    Vela) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                        Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize certain citrus programs, to increase the limitations on 
  assistance for the tree assistance program, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Citrus Investment in Treatment and 
Research for U.S. Sustainability Act'' or the ``CITRUS Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The citrus industry is grappling with the most serious 
        threat in its history: a bacterial disease called citrus 
        greening or Huanglongbing that on the date of the enactment of 
        this Act, does not have a cure.
            (2) Huanglongbing has caused a reduction in citrus 
        production by over 60 percent since 2007 in Florida.
            (3) All citrus-producing counties in Texas are under 
        quarantine, the Asian Citrus Psyllid (the vector of the 
        disease) has been found in backyard trees in California, and 
        the disease has also been found in Arizona.
            (4) The spread of this disease places the domestic citrus 
        industry's future into question and has caused the loss of 
        thousands of jobs and millions in revenue.
            (5) Great progress has been made through Federal, State and 
        industry collaboration, but it is imperative that Congress 
        provide further research funding and grower assistance.
            (6) The citrus industry will only eradicate the disease 
        through research funding for short-term and long-term cures and 
        by ensuring there are adequate incentives for growers to 
        replace diseased trees.
            (7) The Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension 
        Program is a program to discover and develop tools for early 
        detection, control, and eradication of diseases and pests that 
        threaten domestic citrus production and processing that 
        receives $25,000,000 per year in mandatory funding through the 
        Specialty Crop Research Initiative.
            (8) The Citrus Health Response Program (CHRP) is a national 
        effort to protect the domestic citrus industry from invasive 
        citrus pests and diseases through partnerships with State 
        departments of agriculture and industry groups.
            (9) The Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination Group (HLB-
        MAC) is instrumental in helping respond to critical issues that 
        impact the health of the citrus industry.
            (10) The Tree Assistance Program has aided growers in 
        replacing diseased trees, but expanding access to this 
        assistance is needed.

SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF EMERGENCY CITRUS DISEASE RESEARCH AND 
              EXTENSION PROGRAM.

    (a) Reauthorization of Emergency Citrus Disease Research and 
Extension Program.--Section 412 of the Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7632) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (j)--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (5); and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph 
                (5); and
            (2) in subsection (k)(1)(C), by striking ``fiscal years 
        2014 through 2018'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2018 through 
        2023''.
    (b) Extension of Citrus Disease Subcommittee Termination Date.--
Section 1408A(a)(2)(D) of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 (7 
U.S.C. 3123a(a)(2)(D)) is amended by striking ``on September 30, 2018'' 
and inserting ``on the date Huanglongbing and the Asian Citrus Psyllid 
no longer pose a threat to United States citrus production, as 
determined by the citrus disease subcommittee''.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION FOR CITRUS HEALTH RESPONSE PROGRAM.

    For purposes of carrying out the citrus health response program of 
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, there is authorized to 
be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2018 
through 2023.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION FOR MULTI-AGENCY COORDINATION GROUP.

    For purposes of carrying out the activities of the Huanglongbing 
Multi-Agency Coordination Group (HLB-MAC) under the Department of 
Agriculture, there is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary for fiscal years 2018 through 2023.

SEC. 6. LIMITATIONS ON ASSISTANCE FOR THE TREE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) Limitations on Assistance.--Section 1501(e)(4) of the 
Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(e)(4)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B)--
                    (A) by striking ``exceed $125,000'' and inserting 
                the following: ``exceed--
                            ``(i) $125,000'';
                    (B) by striking the period and inserting ``; or''; 
                and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new clause:
                            ``(ii) if the person or legal entity is a 
                        citrus producer (as defined in paragraph (5) of 
                        section 412(j) of the Agricultural Research, 
                        Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 
                        U.S.C. 7632(j))), $250,000, for any crop year, 
                        or an equivalent value in tree seedlings.'';
            (2) in subparagraph (C)--
                    (A) by striking ``exceed 500 acres.'' and inserting 
                the following: ``exceed--
                            ``(i) 500 acres; or
                            ``(ii) if the person or legal entity is a 
                        citrus producer (as defined in paragraph (5) of 
                        section 412(j) of the Agricultural Research, 
                        Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 
                        U.S.C. 7632(j))), 1500 acres.''.
    (b) Adjusted Gross Income Requirement.--Section 1001D(b) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308-3a(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``except as provided in 
        paragraph (3),'' after ``provision of law,'';
            (2) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``A payment'' and 
        inserting ``Except as provided in paragraph (3), a payment''; 
        and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Exception for citrus producers under tree assistance 
        program.--A person or legal entity that is a citrus producer 
        (as defined in paragraph (5) of section 412(j) of the 
        Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 
        1998 (7 U.S.C. 7632(j))) shall not be eligible to receive a 
        benefit under the tree assistance program under section 1501(e) 
        of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(e)), during a 
        crop year if the average adjusted gross income of the person or 
        legal entity exceeds $1,800,000.''.
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