The Loss of a National Treasure - Tropical Fruits

[Mr. Clean]

I recently learned that the new federal budget does not include money for the USDA facilities at Puerto Rico, Coral Gables (Florida), and Hawaii.  There is a possibility that these sites could be shut down.  The Coral Gables facility is on 220 acres of prime real-estate, probably valued at $1-2 million per acre.  These are the genetic depositories for tropical fruits in the US; their loss could not be replaced.
 There is a serious potential for the tropical trees to be destroyed and replaced with high rise condos.  This would be the loss of an irreplaceable national treasure. 

Please contact your congressman and senator regarding preserving these sites.

[simon_grow]

Wow, that sucks! Hopefully the shutdowns can be prevented. If they can't be, I hope all the rarer species, especially those that could be a valuable food crop can be saved or spread around.

Simon

[fruitlovers]

Fortunately proposed budgets are not always the same as the budgets that pass through congress. But yes you are right that it would be good to have voter input to make sure those stations remain open.
About a decade ago the federal government wanted to shut down Chapman Field in S. Florida. It was only through grass roots involvement that Chapman Field didn't become condos long ago!

[Mr. Clean]

Fortunately proposed budgets are not always the same as the budgets that pass through congress. But yes you are right that it would be good to have voter input to make sure those stations remain open.
About a decade ago the federal government wanted to shut down Chapman Field in S. Florida. It was only through grass roots involvement that Chapman Field didn't become condos long ago!

Oscar, you are correct.  The Friends of Chapman Field was created to help prevent that.

To help save Chapman Field, donations can be sent to payable to “The Friends of Chapman Field” c/o Ms. Bobbe Dooley, Dooley Realty, 12401 South Dixie Highway, Miami, FL 33156.

As a heads-up, the USDA Avocado germplama collection is being moved from Chapman field to Hawaii due to an outbreak of a new Avocado pathogen in Florida (not Laurel Wilt).

[fruitlovers]

Most of the ag stations here are in dire neglect. Even if they get funding they only get enough to barely maintain them, and some stations don't even have enough to mow the grass.