Pierce’s Disease Winegrape Assessment Cut
July 3, 2013 California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross has set the Pierce’s disease winegrape assessment for the 2013 harvest at 75¢ per $1,000 of value, based on the recommendation made by the Pierce’s Disease/Glassy Winged Sharpshooter Board at its June board meeting. This rate represents a decrease from the 2012 rate of $1.
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.
CDFA Pierce’s Disease/Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Board Chairman Drew Johnson said the decrease is in line with the industry’s era of good feelings. “With both production and prices expected to be up, the board felt that a lower assessment rate would still bring in the necessary funds needed to maintain all the research and other board programs at current levels,” he said.
The cut brings the rate back to the 2011 level. Ross boosted the Pierce’s disease winegrape assessment for the 2012 harvest by 25¢, to $1.00 per $1,000 of value, based on a recommendation made by the PD/GWSS Board one year ago.
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