Date: 1981-09-09
Speaker: BE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. the outbreak of the Mediterranean fruit fly in California has received nationwide attentionand deservedly so. This pest poses a grave threat not only to the great fruit and vegetable industry of Californiabut to the production of other States as well. The implications for farmers and consumers are obvious. Federal authorities are working with State officials and others in California to eradicate the Medfly. Needless to say. the effort takes money. But the Investment of funds necessary for control and eradication pales in comparison to the costs which would be borne by producers and consumers should the Medfly not be checked. Presently. through a provision in an appropriate measure. the Secretary of Agriculture has authority to transfer funds otherwise available to the Department. for use In the arrest and eradication of infectious or contagious diseases of animals or poultry. He has no parallel authority with respect to the arrest and eradication of plant pests. Under current urgent circumtances posed l y the Medfly. it Is critical that the Secretary be in a position to immediately give further emergency assistance in combatting the outbreak. This is the purpose ofthe bill which I introduced for myself and Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. COELHO. Mr. FAziO. Mr. MATsux. Mr. PAN=TA. Mr. THOMAS. and Mr. WAisiLER. which I urge you to adopt today. It would put into permanent law authority to transfer funds otherwise available to the department for use in emergency situations that threaten agricultural production. As I have said. the funds may. under current law. be -transferred and used for the arrest and eradication of infectious or contagious diseases of animals or poultry. Our bill would retain this authority and would extend It to cover the emergency arrest or eradication of plant pests. It In no way limits or restricts the.Secretarys existing transfer authority. it simply extends that authority to transfer funds In emergency outbreaks of plant pests such as the Mediterranean fruit fly or the Khapra beetle. Provisons substantially Identical to those in the bill under consideration are contained In H.R. 3603. the Food and Agriculture Act of 1981. reported by the Committee on Agriculture. It was carefully considered by the cornmittee and was adopted without opposition. It is the intent of this provision to give the Secretary broad discretionary authority to address outbreaks of this nature. The authority Is to extend to comnbatting animal and poultry diseases and plant pests in the broad sense of those terms. and Includes combatting causative factors such as Insect infestations that cause animal diseases. The bill also provides that the emergency transfer authority extends to cooperation with nations of the Western Hemisphere in addressing animal and poultry diseases and plant pests that threaten any segment of American agriculture. The bill will Insure that the Department has the flexibility to move immnediately to address situations that In the Judgment of the Secretary are emergency in nature and thereby mitigate their effect on the agricultural industry of this country. It does not provide for increased funding. Rather. It should result In significant savings because It will allow USDA to control outbreaks and eradicate their causes before they become a major catastrophe for American producers and consumers. Time is of the essence in this matter. The Department of Agriculture has agreed with the State of California to share certain expenses related to the program being undertaken In that State to eradicate the medfly. However. within the next day or two. all funds of the Department to carry out Its responsibilities under the agreement will have been expended. It Is crucial that the eradication program be pursued without interruption. The funding by the State for its share of the program costs is also a severe problem. It Is. therefore. essential that this bill be adopted at the earliest possible date to continue the program now under way In California. I am informed that the administration strongly supports the speedy adoption of this legislation. I implore you to adopt it. It will give immediate assistance to eradication of the medfly infestation. In addition. it will give the Secretary the tools to move with dispatch In the future in helping to stamp out emergency threats to our food supply posed by plant and animal pests.