Almost US$45m has been allocated by the US Department of Agriculture to fund more than 200 projects to improve plant health in the country, the department said in a news release.
The money was distributed as part of the 2008 Farm Bill and around US$6m will be used for an expanded pest detection system in California, with US$3.3m used for a survey of pest pathways in the US.
More than 50 bodies, including state departments of agriculture, non-profit organisations, universities and USDA agencies will be involved in the projects, The Packer reported.
'Projects funded as part of this effort will ensure that farmers and specialty crop growers remain a viable segment of our national agricultural landscape,' US agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack said.
USDA deputy secretary Kathleen Merrigan was expected to announce some of the funding awards yesterday, and more details about the spending plan will be available from the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Servicewebsite.
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