The Stanly News & Press - January 22, 2010
Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08) announced Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has allocated $730,750 in funding to North Carolina through the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The funding is for projects to build and preserve critical plant health safeguard initiatives across the country. It is part of more than $45 million in funding announced Tuesday by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

“This is important funding for our agriculture sector. Disease and plant pests have the potential to decimate crops and wreak havoc on our farmers and growers,” Kissell said.

“This funding helps put in place more safeguards and strengthen preventative measures to protect agriculture from this type of disaster. I want to thank Secretary Vilsack for all his help and support of North Carolina’s farmers.”

Funding will be provided to state departments of agriculture, universities, nonprofit organizations and USDA agencies to enhance early plant detection and surveillance, threat identification and mitigation and safeguard nursery production.

The receiving agencies will work with APHIS to develop formal work plans which provide details and information needed to initiate cooperative agreements.