Bush calls citrus shipping ban æoverkillÆ
Gov. Jeb Bush Wednesday called a U.S. Department of Agriculture ban on some shipments of Florida citrus fruits 'overkill' and said state officials will try to persuade the federal government to reverse the decision.
The USDA Tuesday issued the ban on shipments of tree-grown Florida citrus fruits to states that also produce citrus fruits, citing dangers from citrus canker that has damaged citrus trees in southern and central Florida.
Bush said scientific evidence does not justify a complete ban of fruit shipments to four states, including the major markets of California and Texas.
A study produced by the USDA itself said that treated properly, citrus shipments would not pose a danger when shipped to another state.
'I'm disappointed that the Department of Agriculture in Washington has made this decision, but we're going to work with them to see if we can't get it modified,' Bush was quoted as saying in an Associated Press report.
Bush calls citrus shipping ban ?overkill?
