THOMPSON SECURES $4 MILLION FROM USDA FOR GLASSY-WINGED SHARPSHOOTER RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

Washington – Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing $4 million in emergency funding to address the growing threat posed by the invasive glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS) in California. This summer, Rep. Thompson, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), along with Rep. David Valadao (CA-22) and ten colleagues teamed up to urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide emergency funding to address the growing threat posed by the invasive glassy-winged sharpshooter in California.

The funding announcement follows congressional letters and a call between Rep. Thompson and USDA Undersecretary Hoskins about the importance of federal assistance to stop the spread of glassy-winged sharpshooters for California agriculture producers. USDA has been working in close collaboration with Secretary Karen Ross of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and county agricultural commissioners as they lead the response and conduct trace-forward activities.

“Glad that USDA is providing $4 million in funding to fight the glassy-winged sharpshooter,” said Thompson. “I have been working to ensure our Agriculture community receives the support it needs to address this issue, and while this is a great step in the right direction, there is still more work to be done to protect our community.”

This funding will allow the CDFA to expand trace-forward investigations, increase inspections, destroy infested materials, and strengthen trapping and visual surveys at high-risk locations associated with recent GWSS-infested plant shipments. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) works with the CDFA and county agricultural commissioners through a long-standing cooperative program to manage and contain GWSS in California.

APHIS receives an annual appropriation to support the CDFA and county partners in preventing the further spread of Pierce’s disease. In fiscal year 2026, APHIS has allocated more than $15 million to the CDFA for GWSS activities.

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Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California’s 4th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo Counties. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Ways and Means. Rep. Thompson is Chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. He is also Co-Chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus and a member of the fiscally-responsible Blue Dog Coalition.