Schumer asks USDA to allocate funding to help New York combat the invasive spotted lanternfly

Nearly every region of upstate New York has seen the invasive spotted lanternfly, “putting Upstate wineries and crops at risk.”

That’s according to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.), who on Sunday urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to tap federal funds “from an account he has supported with over $200 million” to contain the spotted lanternfly.

New York’s “Integrated Pest Management Program” would use the funding, the senator said. If the spotted lanternfly is not contained, Schumer said the “pesky bug” could cost New York State millions.

Schumer also noted that officials can use the federal funding for education and eradication as he made the case for an additional $22 million in the upcoming federal budget to deal with invasive pests like the spotted lanternfly.

“Summer is the perfect time to relax outdoors with a nice New York Riesling, but the rapid spread of the invasive Spotted Lanternfly threatens to suck the life out of our vineyards, agriculture, and great outdoor tourism industry. We need to stomp out this bug before it spreads; otherwise our farmers and local businesses could face millions in damage and an unmanageable swarm,” Schumer said. “For years now, I have warned about the pest, but now we are demanding action because pockets of Upstate New York are now infested by the invasive bug that wreaks havoc on trees, vineyards and crops. This is a multi-million dollar threat to New York’s economy — both tourism and agriculture are now at risk if the spotted lanternfly goes unchecked.”

The plan

Schumer detailed his two-pronged approach to deal with the bug.

First, he is calling on the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to use the more than $200 million for the specialty crop pests program he secured in the recent appropriations bill, including $1 million allocated for the control of spotted lanternflies, to bolster New York’s ongoing efforts to prevent the insects from spreading statewide.

Secondly, Schumer said he wants to increase federal support for the USDA’s APHIS program by more than $22 million in fiscal year 2023 to enhance its work with states to prevent and mitigate invasive species like the spotted lanternfly, his office said.