Staff Reports
Florida is getting $851,000 for research to improve bacterial resistance in lettuce.
The grant, awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Multi-State Program, is one of 11 distributions totaling $9.5 million.
“As the nation’s second-largest producer of specialty crops with a year-round growing season, Florida is an ideal environment for agricultural research and innovation,” Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said.
“We look forward to working with state and federal partners to eradicate pathogens and diseases that threaten our valued agriculture commodities.”
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), in partnership with the University of Florida, Pennsylvania State University and the USDA Agricultural Research Service, received that funding to study resistance to bacterial leaf spot.
The pathogen is spread by water from rain or sprinklers splashing from plant to plant. The research will study disease resistance and diversity to improve lettuce crops through breeding, genetics and how the bacteria interacts with lettuce leaves.
On Wednesday, Fried highlighted $522 million in crop losses due to COVID-19 in the Sunshine State. With lettuce sales down 60% and an estimated 75% of lettuce being left in the ground, the lettuce industry is facing losses of at least $5 million in Florida.
Fried called for the USDA to offer rapid economic relief and advocated for increased focus on the state’s food supply. Last week, the USDA announced $19 billion in aid for agriculture, but FDACS remains concerned about the aid’s timeliness and effectiveness due to payment limitations.
Nationally, farmers produce nearly $2 billion-worth of lettuce, according to the USDA, making it one of the leading vegetable crops in the country.
The USDA Specialty Crop Multi-State Program offers grants to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by funding collaborative projects at the regional and national levels. The program’s scope includes food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific projects addressing common issues, and marketing and promotion.
