An additional $2.8 million (£1.9m) is to be allocated to citrus greening research in the US state of Florida following a vote by the Florida Citrus Commission, taking total spend on the destructive disease to $10.8m.
During the vote, which went nine to two in favour of increasing the organisation’s contribution, commissioner Mike Taylor proposed raining citrus tax rates by $1.60 per box on all commercial citrus harvested in Florida during 2010/11, The Ledger reported.
However, this was met with a negative response from two members, who indicated that they supported the additional research funding but wanted to source it from cuts in the department’s budget, the majority of which would be drawn from marketing initiatives.
According to the publication, several commissioners who voted with Taylor reserved the right to alter the budget and tax rates in October.
Voting took place at the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference, which was hosted by grower representative Florida Citrus Mutual.
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