crop diseases

Plant diseases and invasive insects take a huge toll — up to 40 percent — on global crop production, with annual losses worth nearly $300 billion. Climate change could make that worse by opening up new areas to plant pests, according to a scientific review released on Wednesday.

The government would hire 240 agricultural inspectors a year to work at U.S. ports under a bill introduced on Thursday by four senators. The inspectors would work for the Customs and Border Protection agency and specialize in preventing entry of agricultural pests and diseases.

American citrus growers are angry over the Trump administration’s decision to lift an import ban on lemons from northwestern Argentina. “We were completely blindsided,” said Joel Nelsen, president of the California Citrus Mutual.