Citrus Disease Subcommittee

The Citrus Disease Subcommittee (CDS) was established in the 2014 Farm Bill to advance the research and extension capabilities related to citrus diseases. HLB (short for Huanglongbing) is one type of citrus disease. The 2014 Farm Bill charged CDS with providing an annual consultation with USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to provide recommendations on the agenda, budget and priorities of NIFA’s Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program (ECDRE). ECDRE is a competitive grant program that integrates research and extension activities to combat and prevent HLB at the farm-level for U.S. citrus growers.

The USDA-APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) led HLB Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) group-- comprised of federal agencies, state departments of agriculture, and citrus industry organizations -- helps address the citrus industry’s immediate and long-term needs in dealing with this disease. The HLB MAC Group coordinates and prioritizes Federally-funded research with industry's efforts to bridge the gap between research and implementation, reduce unnecessary duplication, and more quickly provide practical tools for citrus growers to use. Visit HLB MAC’s web page for lists of research projects focused on finding tools and strategies to fight back against HLB.