Mr. ALLEN, from the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 1617]

The Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, to which was referred the bill (S. 1617) to clarify the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to control and eradicate plant pests, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill (as amended) do pass.

SHORT EXPLANATION

S. 1617 would broaden and strengthen the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to control and eradicate agricultural pests. The bill would-

(1) Permit the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out eradication and control programs with respect to plant pests not now covered by the Organic Act of 1944. Such pests would include spider mites, slugs, and snails. Specific authority is provided for the detection of plant pests in the United States.

(2) Extend the Secretary's authority to cooperate with foreign governments in carrying out eradication and control programs. The bill would (i) permit the Secretary to cooperate with the governments of all the countries of the Western Hemisphere and (ii) cover "plant pests" in general. Existing law authorizes cooperation only with respect to Mexico and for specified pests.

(3) Make discretionary the Secretary's authority to provide phytosanitary inspection and certification service for domestic plants and plant products for export, and extend such authority to inspection and certification of any plants or plant products offered for export or transiting the United States.

(4) Repeal provisions in the Act of October 6, 1917, for cooperation with Mexico and adjacent States in the extermination of pink bollworm infestations in Mexico, and related operations. The Organic Act, as amended by the bill, would contain such authority.

(5) Make it clear that the Secretary's authority to cooperate with certain Western Hemisphere countries in animal disease control extends to the carriers of animal diseases.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

The Committee amendments (i) strike all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof a substitute and (ii) change the title of the bill.

The Committee's amendment to the text of the bill incorporates numerous technical changes suggested by the Department of Agriculture in its report on the bill and expands the Secretary's authority to cooperate with the governments of all the countries of the Western Hemisphere in carrying out plant pest eradication and control programs. The Committee amendment to the text of the bill also amends the statute under which the Secretary is authorized to cooperate with certain specified Western Hemisphere countries in programs of eradication and control of communicable diseases of animals. The amendment makes it clear that the Secretary's authority extends to insect carriers and other vectors of such diseases.

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

I.

The desirability of agricultural pest control and eradication has long been recognized. A long, determined effort toward these ends has yielded many benefits, but agricultural pests-even if totally eradicated in the United States-would, by virtue of their existence in other Western Hemisphere countries, continue to pose a threat to American agriculture.

Over the years, legislation has been enacted at various times authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to cooperate with foreign countries in detecting, controlling, and eradicating agricultural pests. The authority of the Secretary to combat animal diseases, for example, was first extended to Mexico in 1947. In 1971, the Secretary's authority was extended to Canada, the Central American countries, and Colombia. This broadened authority provides the authority and opportunity to work effectively toward eradication and also to avoid reintroduction of certain animal diseases.

However, such comprehensive authority does not exist for plant pests. A recent outbreak of the Mediterranean fruit fly, an extremely destructive insect to citrus and vegetables, has been detected in Central America. It is imperative that this pest be prevented from spreading through Mexico and into the United States.

II.

After several years during which the known distribution of the Mediterranean fruit fly remained relatively stable in Costa Rica,

S.R. 370