Tropical crops like coffee, macadamia nuts, cacao, and bananas — grown mainly in Hawaii and U.S. territories — face rising threats from invasive insects and plant diseases that can devastate harvests. This bill adds a “Tropical Plant Health Initiative” to an existing USDA agricultural research grant program, directing federal grants toward scientists and extension programs that study, prevent, and control these pest threats. Covered research topics include pest management tools, integrated pest control for affected growing regions, data collection on crop health, and plant immunity biology. The program’s authorization is extended through 2030.
Congressional Summary
Tropical Plant Health Initiative ActThis bill establishes a Tropical Plant Health Initiative as a Department of Agriculture (USDA) high-priority research and extension area and reauthorizes other USDA research and extension initiatives. Under the bill, tropical plants include coffee plants, macadamia trees, cacao trees, plantains and bananas, mangos, floriculture and nursery crops, and vanilla plants.Specifically, the bill allows research and extension grants for developing and disseminating science-based tools and treatments to combat plant pests and noxious weeds that impact tropical plants;establishing an integrated pest management program in areas where tropical plants are affected by plant pests or noxious weeds; andconducting related data collection, research, and investigations regarding the production, health, immune systems, biology, ecology, and genomics of the tropical plants. Further, the bill reauthorizes USDA grants to support competitive specialized research and extension activities, including high-priority areas, through FY2030.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-09-18
- Date Added
- 2026-06-23
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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