Pierce’s Disease Assessment Rate Increased
Increase in funds will be used to find solution for California vineyards.
California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross has set the Pierce’s disease winegrape assessment for the 2012 harvest at $1.00 per $1,000 of value, based on the recommendation made by the Pierce’s Disease/Glassy Winged Sharpshooter Board at its June board meeting.
The assessment is used to fund research to find a solution to Pierce’s disease (PD), and other activities related to the transmittal of PD, a bacterial disease vectored by the glassy-winged sharpshooter that kills grapevines.
The assessment represents a 25¢ increase from 75¢ per $1,000 of value. The higher assessment is expected to generate total assessment revenue of $2.746 million for the Pierce’s Disease Control Program. Not only was the assessment raised, but total revenue is also expected to increase based on a higher predicted crop value for 2012, according to the California Association of Winegrape Growers.
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