“The Citrus Research Foundation and the new BSL-3 lab are a product of the industry’s significant investment toward finding a solution for HLB. California, funded entirely by citrus growers,” says CCM Director of Government Affairs Alyssa Houtby. “This facility is state of the art and will undoubtedly attract the world’s leading researchers working on this issue. We fully anticipate the facility will be utilized to its full capacity.”

This facility will be the only research facility in California that is citrus-specific and will focus solely on ACP and HLB until a cure for HLB is found. Heretofore, a majority of the research being funded by the federal government and via the private sector has been focused on solutions oriented toward the current situation in Florida, where HLB has persisted for over a decade and caused over a 70% decline in citrus production. Research conducted at the BSL-3 will focus on California priorities including, but not limited to, early detection technologies, development of bacteria resistant root stock, and other prevention tools.

The creation of the Citrus Research Foundation and the industry’s $8 million investment into this facility will attract leading researchers from around the country to work on immediate and long-range solutions to HLB. The location of this facility in the midst of both California’s citrus industry and the increasing urban HLB finds, will be beneficial for the cutting-edge research that is expected to transpire.

Principal Investigators (PI’s) are encouraged to contact the Citrus Research Foundation before starting the application process to determine space availability and research compatibility. The application process and the application itself can be found here.

About CCM: CCM is the only advocacy organization representing CA citrus growers on the economic, regulatory, and political issues that impact them most. Our 2,500 members represent 75% of California 270,000 acre, $3.3 billion citrus industry.

About the California Citrus Research Foundation (CCRF):  CCRF is a 501(c)(3) foundation with the expressed purpose of soliciting research projects that require BSL3 containment facility parameters with the singular goal, initially of finding a cure for or immunity from Huanglongbing. The Foundation owns the containment facility and works in partnership with the University of California, Riverside to manage the facility, and projects while insuring that the integrity of the facility satisfies all federal, state and local permitting requirements.

Governor Brown signed the 2017 Budget Act this week and authorized $10 million in general funding to prevent the spread of the invasive insect Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and the deadly and incurable plant disease it can carry, Huanglongbing (HLB).

“California Citrus Mutual applauds Governor Brown and members of the California Legislature for recognizing the severity of this issue to not only the state’s citrus growers, but to the California economy and the many homeowners who enjoy citrus trees in their backyards,” says Joel Nelsen, president of the citrus grower’s trade association California Citrus Mutual (CCM).

HLB has devastated citrus production world-wide. In Florida, once home to the nation’s largest citrus industry, commercial production has plummeted by over 70% resulting in average annual economic losses of 7,945 jobs, $658 million in value-added product, and $1.098 billion in industry output, according to a recent report by the University of Florida.

“We know from what has happened in Florida that there are real and lasting economic consequences if HLB is allowed to take hold,” continues Nelsen. “California citrus is a $3.6 billion industry and supports over 22,000 jobs all of which could be lost if HLB is not stopped.”

California is the largest fresh-market citrus producing region in the world and one of few areas that have not been affected by HLB, but that could change if HLB is allowed to spread. To-date, the disease has been found in 73 backyard citrus trees in the Los Angeles Basin, triggering quarantines in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

“HLB is spreading at an alarming rate, and the addition of state funds will provide critically needed resources to help protect all citrus trees and prevent HLB from devastating the state’s vibrant citrus industry,” concludes Nelsen.

The state funds will augment the nearly $25 million currently spent each year by commercial citrus growers for pest detection and eradication, including the release of beneficial insects for biological control of ACP, in residential areas and ongoing public outreach and education.

In 2009, the citrus industry created the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program and authorized a mandatory assessment paid by growers that raises $15-18 million per year on average. All funds are directed toward urban areas, where an estimated 6 in every 10 residents has at least one citrus tree in their yard.

CCM would like to thank the following legislators for their support of the California citrus industry and acknowledge their efforts to secure state funding to address this critical issue: Senators Richard Roth (D-Riverside), Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton), Andy Vidak (R-Hanford), and Jean Fuller (R-Visalia) and Assembly Members Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica), Devon Mathis (R-Visalia), Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield), Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno), Marc Levine (D-Marin), and Bill Quirk (D-Hayward).