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Washington, DC -- Today Congressman David Wu continued his fight against Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthora ramorum) by jointly introducing an amendment with Congresswoman Darlene Hooley (OR) that would increase funding for the eradication of SOD by $5 million. The amendment was offered to the Agriculture appropriations bill (H.R. 4766). Sudden Oak Death (SOD) causes disease on a wide range of plant species, including several horticultural crops important to the nursery trade. The amendment passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 260 to 160.
"Sudden Oak Death has already resulted in a countywide quarantine on nursery products in my district and is threatening Oregon's $800 million nursery and Christmas tree industry," said Congressman David Wu. "I am glad that there is funding for SOD eradication in the appropriations bill, but it simply isn't enough. Only some of the bill's current $1.98 million for emerging plant pests and disease will go to SOD eradication. In 2004 alone, the USDA has allocated over $17 million in emergency and contingency funds for SOD eradication efforts."
Oregon has begun an aggressive state and federal inspection program that will gather and test plants from 1,400 nurseries in the state. Each nursery will submit a minimum of 40 plant tissue samples for laboratory analysis.
Congressman Wu has previously held roundtable discussions with Oregon nursery and Christmas tree growers, and state and federal officials on addressing the threat of SOD.
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