H.R. 10542: Combating Pasture Mealybug Act

This bill would require the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to study how prepared the United States is to respond to pasture mealybug, an invasive insect that can damage grazing land and some crops.

What the study would cover

• How serious the threat is right now, including where the pest has been found, how it may spread, and what damage it could cause to livestock and crops.
• How well the U.S. can contain and control it, including what states have detected it and what tools or practices could help stop it from spreading.
• How good current detection systems are, including laboratory and diagnostic capacity and how public and private reporting systems work for suspected cases.
• Existing emergency response plans, including coordination among federal, state, and local agencies and whether resources are available for quick response.
• Research and development needs, such as better diagnostic tools, alternative control methods, and research into biological vulnerabilities or natural controls.
• International cooperation, including whether current efforts with affected countries are effective and how they could be improved.

Who must be consulted

The Agriculture Secretary would have to consult with farmers and industry groups, wildlife management agencies, scientific experts, and state and local agricultural officials while preparing the study.

Deadlines and reporting

• The study would have to be completed within 90 days after enactment.
• A report with the findings and recommendations would have to be sent to the House and Senate agriculture committees and made publicly available within 6 months after enactment.

Overall effect

The bill does not directly create a new control program or spend money on treatment. Instead, it directs the Agriculture Department to gather information and make recommendations for how the federal government could better prevent, detect, contain, and respond to pasture mealybug infestations.

Relevant Companies

• None found