U.S. Drops, Then Restores Medfly Funds

Gov. Pete Wilson on Tuesday angrily denounced federal plans to cut off funding for California to fight Mediterranean fruit flies, but he and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) announced late in the day that the federal government had backed down.

In an unusually blunt letter dated Feb. 22, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it was cutting $20 million for Medfly eradication, and warned that unless the state continued the program with its own funds, California’s multibillion-dollar harvest of fruit, nuts and vegetables would be quarantined.

Wilson condemned the planned cut in a luncheon speech to a farm group Tuesday, declaring that the USDA’s new policy was “about as unfair as anything I can think of.”

But by Tuesday evening, both Wilson and Feinstein announced that they had been assured by U.S. Department of Agriculture and Office of Management and Budget officials that funding would be restored, though it remained unclear at what level.

The USDA letter that set off the scare in the state’s agricultural industry told California Department of Food and Agriculture that money for the Medfly eradication program would be cut as of March 22.

“Please inform us of your ability to continue eradication activities and support of the federal quarantine after our withdrawal,” said the letter signed by G. Glen Lee, a USDA deputy administrator.

“Without your continued support,” the USDA letter concluded, “we would be required to quarantine the entire state of California. The California industry should be notified of this impending quarantine so that they may begin to prepare their business activities accordingly.”

Lee, who could not be reached for comment Tuesday, sent the letter after the state and 34 members of the California congressional delegation urged Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy to continue funding the Medfly project.

The federal money is used to pay the salaries of 40 regulatory officers and 100 trappers, technicians and scientists. The money pays for facilities in El Monte, Elysian Park and Los Alamitos where sterile fruit flies are raised and where captured insects are identified.

Feinstein learned of Lee’s letter Tuesday when she was asked for comment by a Times reporter. By day’s end, an aide to Espy promised that Espy would make an emergency request to restore funding, Feinstein spokesman Bill Chandler said.

“Sen. Feinstein has been assured that the funding will be made available,” Chandler said.

Soon afterward, Wilson also was declaring victory, issuing a release saying he had called the Office of Management and Budget and secured full funding for the program.

In Washington, Espy spokesman Joel Berg confirmed that money will be restored for now, but was not sure whether the full amount will be allocated.

Rep. Cal Dooley (D-Visalia), California’s ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, attributed the policy stated in Lee’s letter to the Clinton Administration’s failure to appoint deputy directors to assist Espy.

“This would not have happened if we had all the positions filled,” Dooley said.

As it is, fruit fly infestations appear to be limited to Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties, with a smaller problem in San Diego County. Agricultural officials fear that without an eradication program, Medflies could spread beyond Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties to richer farming areas.

A statewide infestation could cost $1 billion a year in pesticides and crop damage, said Carl DeWing, spokesman for the California Department of Food and Agriculture. DeWing also said $1.7 billion in produce exports to Pacific Rim countries could be endangered.

The whole matter left officials shaking their heads. In Riverside, USDA spokesman Larry Hawkins had spent the afternoon fielding calls trying to explain why he thought Lee had sent the letter. Then, in the evening, when he learned of the apparent change in position, he said: “It’d sure be nice if they’d let us in the field know what they’re doing.”

Times staff writer James Bornemeier contributed to this report.