Bill Would Fund Mitigation and Research on Spotted Wing Drosophila Which Continue to Threaten Cherry, Blueberry, and Other Fruit Crops
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) have reintroduced bipartisan legislation to combat the spread of spotted wing drosophila (SWD), an invasive fly hurting fruit growers across the country. The Spotted Wing Abatement Trust (SWAT) Act would help strengthen the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) efforts to reduce the spread of SWD and advance their research into this invasive insect.
“I’ve heard from Michigan growers about how these invasive insects continue to damage their blueberries, cherries, and other fruits – and pose a serious threat to their livelihoods and businesses,” said Senator Peters. “I’m reintroducing this much-needed, bipartisan bill to help keep down costs for fruit growers, mitigate the spread of this invasive pest, and prevent their crops from being spoiled in the first place.”
“Maine’s wild blueberries are an integral part of our state’s heritage and play a major role in our state’s economy,” said Senator Collins. “The pervasiveness of the spotted wing drosophila has threatened the livelihoods of fruit farmers in Maine and across the country. If left unchecked, it could have serious repercussions for our state’s wild blueberry industry. Our bipartisan legislation would mitigate the rapid spread of this invasive pest and help prevent fruit crops from being spoiled by this infestation.”
“Georgia growers have long dealt with the threat of infestation,” said Senator Ossoff. “We are introducing this bipartisan legislation to help ensure Georgia growers have the resources to fight this pest and protect their crops.”
“Agriculture is deeply ingrained into Oregon’s economy, and Oregon’s small fruit and tree fruit crop growers need all the help they can get combatting invasive pests—such as the spotted wing drosophila,” said Senator Merkley. “Our bipartisan bill would help ensure researchers have the resources and funding needed to develop efficient ways to get rid of these pests without costing our growers extra money and time.”
The senators’ SWAT Act would establish a fund managed by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to advance research and strengthen efforts to reduce the species’ population in the U.S. The fund would be authorized at $6.5 million annually for five years.
The spotted wing drosophila is an invasive pest from East Asia that lays eggs in soft-skinned fruit crops, including cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Since their first detection in the continental United States in 2008, they have spread across the West Coast, as well as through Florida, Georgia, Utah, the Carolinas, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The spotted wing drosophila have caused more than an estimated $700 million in economic loss per year nationally – in part because fruit buyers have a zero-tolerance policy if the invasive insect is spotted on crops, meaning entire crop loads can be rejected if a single larva is detected. Thorough pest management strategies are required for farmers to ensure their crops are SWD-free, raising costs along the way.
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