Federal

Plantain and Banana Plant Health Initiative Act

Source: Congress.gov · 458 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill creates a new research and extension grant program to study insects and pests that damage plantains and bananas. The grants would support efforts to find disease-resistant plants, treat pest problems and teach farmers best practices for growing these crops safely.

Who It Affects

Plantain and banana growers, agricultural researchers, universities or organizations that receive grants, and farmers in areas affected by or at risk from plantation pests.

Key Provisions

• Grants can be made for at least 5 years to study how plantains and bananas can resist diseases and insect pests that are not native to the United States (Sec. 2(a)) • Grants support research to treat pests that affect plantains and bananas, including a specific fungal disease called Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.cubense, Tropical Race 4 (Sec. 2(a)) • Grants fund field studies to test plantain and banana plants that have stronger resistance to diseases and pests and work well in tropical soils (Sec. 2(a)) • Grants pay for teaching growers best practices to safely grow plantains and bananas (Sec. 2(a)) • Grants establish areawide integrated pest management programs, which are coordinated efforts to control pests across regions affected by or at risk from Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.cubense, Tropical Race 4 (Sec. 2(a))

What Changes

The bill extends an authorization period from 2023 to 2027 for appropriations (money set aside by Congress) related to these research and extension grants (Sec. 2(b)).

Important Definitions

None defined in bill text.

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1455 To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to provide research and extension grants to support the study of insects and pests that impact plantains and bananas, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 8, 2023 Mrs. GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N (for herself and Ms. TOKUDA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to provide research and extension grants to support the study of insects and pests that impact plantains and bananas, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Plantain and Banana 4 Plant Health Initiative Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:59 Mar 21, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1455.IH H1455 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1455 IH SEC. 2. PLANTAIN AND BANANA PLANT HEALTH INITIA- 1 TIVE. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1672(d) of the Food, Ag- 3 riculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 4 5925(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 5 ‘‘(21) PLANTAIN AND BANANA HEALTH INITIA- 6 TIVE.—Research and extension grants may be made 7 under this section for a term of not less than 5 8 years for the purposes of— 9 ‘‘(A) studying potential resistance and tol- 10 erance to nonnative diseases and insect pests; 11 ‘‘(B) increasing research for treatment of 12 pests that affect plantains and bananas, includ- 13 ing Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.cubense, Tropical 14 Race 4; 15 ‘‘(C) conducting field studies to evaluate 16 plantain and banana cultivars with enhanced 17 resistance to diseases and pests, and adapt- 18 ability to tropical soils; 19 ‘‘(D) disseminating information and edu- 20 cating growers on best practices to promote 21 safe production of plantains and bananas; and 22 ‘‘(E) establishing an areawide integrated 23 pest management program in areas affected by, 24 or areas at risk of being affected by pests such 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:59 Mar 21, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1455.IH H1455 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1455 IH as Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.cubense, Tropical 1 Race 4.’’. 2 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 3 1672(h) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 4 Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925(h)) is amended by 5 striking ‘‘2023’’ and inserting ‘‘2027’’. 6 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:59 Mar 21, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1455.IH H1455 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

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