Posted on 03/18/2002 4:15:25 PM PST by Willie Green
Edited on 09/03/2002 4:50:08 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Cutting crews can resume chopping down healthy citrus trees within 1,900 feet of those infected with canker under a bill signed into law Monday by Gov. Jeb Bush.
Despite protests from homeowners, the bill moved quickly through the House and Senate and crews expected to remove another 200,000 trees this year.
"We've got to look at the overall economic impact on our state and move forward," said Bush spokeswoman Elizabeth Hirst.
Agriculture brings in $9 billion a year in central Florida and employs more than 100,000 people.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
"The program wouldn't have been nearly as costly had the government done a better inspection job at its ports and airports and had it been aggressive when this canker outbreak was first found near Miami International Airport, LaVigne said. Had the government been aggressive right off, the cost would have been between $40 million and $50 million, he added."The current canker outbreak is believed to have come from Brazil, which is riddled with the disease."
Is the Cutting of Healthy Citrus Trees Necessary?
As citizens, we share the opinion of most South Floridians that the Citrus Canker Eradication Program is out of control. As scientists we are deeply concerned that scientific justification for this program is lacking. Scientific sources indicate that
(1) the Asian strain of the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. citri is not devastating to citrus and
(2) that destruction of healthy citrus trees in attempt to stop the spread of this bacterium is ineffectual and unnecessary.
Consider, for example, the following:
1) Dr. Jack Whiteside, Citrus Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, writes 'One of the reasons given for continuing the canker scare is that no one has yet proven to the satisfaction of all concerned that canker would not be an economic problem in Florida. In reality, however, no one has yet provided any evidence that it could be a serious threat to the Florida citrus industry.' Whiteside explains that the disease of concern, canker A, is widely distributed in Argentina's citrus producing provinces, but is generally of minor importance. The Argentinean experience with canker A is of particular interest to the Florida citrus industry because of similarities in climate, production methods and commercial varieties grown. Whiteside further summarizes reasons why canker A. is likely to be even less troublesome in Florida than in Argentina. He also points out that previous history of canker in Florida suggests that the bacteria do not spread rapidly and cause heavy infection. These facts argue that the disease may in fact be largely self-eliminating. Whiteside concludes that "The economic threat of canker to the Florida citrus industry or other areas where the climatic conditions seem marginal or unfavorable for infection needs to be reexamined. Furthermore, there needs to be a more scientific, practical and realistic appraisal of the canker eradication efforts to consider if they are really needed and likely to achieve their stated goal of eradicating the pathogen." Citrus and Vegetable Magazine April 1988.
2) At an International Symposium on Citrus Canker held at the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, 1985, scientists pointed out that there may be other host plants for the Asian strain of Xanthomonas besides citrus. The symposium concluded that unless infected trees were restricted and weather conditions unfavorable for spread of citrus canker, eradication would be waste of money and effort. We understand that a Science Review Panel convened in March 1998 by the USDA reached a similar conclusion; our efforts to obtain the 8-10 page report of the 1998 meeting have been unsuccessful.
3) Dr. Heinz K. Wutscher holds a Ph.D. in Pomology (the science of fruit growing) from Cornell University and has 32 years in the field of citriculture working for the Agricultural Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture. An affidavit sworn by Dr. Wutscher on August 21, 2000 states that it is his "professional, expert opinion that citrus canker caused by the Asian strain of Xanthomonas campestri pv citri cannot be eradicated by the methods now in use and that even if eradicated, it would be reintroduced quickly because of its world wide distribution. All of the major citrus growing areas with humid climates have citrus canker and co-exist with it without major problem." One does not need to be a plant pathologist to question the validity of destroying healthy citrus trees in attempt to eradicate the Asian strain of Xanthomonas. The current program is scientifically unjustified.
Professors, research scientists, and graduates from Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami:
|
Pamela Reid, Ph.D. Jack Fell, Ph.D. Rod Zika, Ph.D Peter Ortner, Ph.D. Greta Mackenzie, Ph.DH. Frederick Tappert, Ph.D. |
.Samuel Snedaker, Ph.D .Barrie Taylor, Ph.D. Linda Farmer, Ph.D. Groschel-Becker Ph.D. Mitch Roffer, Ph.D. Terri Hood, Ph.D. |
Peter Ortner, Ph.D. Greta Mackenzie, Ph.DH. Groschel-Becker Ph.D. Thomas Lee, Ph.D. Matthew Lynn, Ph.D. Arthur Myrberg, Ph.D. |
Any chance this stuff is related?
The whole situation smells fishy to me!
In 10 years, they'll assure us, that they're 'only importing the citrus the American people won't grow.'
Usually the simplest answers are the most accurate.
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