{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221023006/http://www.billnelson.senate.gov/news/details.cfm?id=349193&", "Feds target disease threatening citrus", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Bill Nelson", "N000032", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Feds target disease threatening citrus                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tDecember 12, 2013\n\t\t\t\t\n                \n\t\t\t\t  \t\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Federal officials today unveiled a stepped-up effort to combat a citrus-killing disease that\u2019s threatening to decimate Florida\u2019s $9 billion citrus industry.    \t\u00a0    \tThe plan, announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and urged by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), creates the framework for a new coordinated effort between federal, state and industry officials to fight the deadly disease that has infected crops in Florida, California, Louisiana, Georgia and South Carolina. \u00a0    \t\u00a0    \tThe disease, commonly known as citrus greening, produces green, bitter and misshapen fruit. \u00a0According to a study done last year by the University of Florida, citrus greening has cost the state\u2019s economy $4.5 billion and 8,000 jobs between 2006 and 2012. \u00a0\u00a0    \t\u00a0    \t\u201cIf we don\u2019t find a cure soon, we won\u2019t be growing oranges in Florida much longer,\u201d Nelson said. \u00a0    \t\u00a0    \tThe Florida lawmaker, two years ago, helped secure $11 million to fund the research into finding a cure. \u00a0In a teleconference with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last year, they announced the remaining $9 million of that money would be available right away and not spread out over four years as originally planned.    \t\u00a0    \tNelson, meantime, is also pushing for a provision in the Senate Farm Bill that would create a trust fund to pay for the war on citrus greening. \u00a0It would get another $30 million a year. \u00a0    \t\u00a0    \tOn the House side, a strong advocate of the effort to combat greening has been U.S. Rep. Patrick \u00a0E. Murphy (D-FL). \u00a0\"I applaud today's announcement and the USDA's commitment to this pressing issue, and remain committed to working with them on efforts to help alleviate the harm caused by this disease,\" Murphy said in a statement issued today.\u00a0   ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221023006/http://www.billnelson.senate.gov/news/details.cfm?id=349193&"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.2689527831971645, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}