Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Spotted Wing Abatement Trust Act of 2024 or the SWAT Act of 2024.
Section 2. Findings
Congress finds that—
(1) the spotted wing drosophila, an invasive species from East Asia, has caused significant damage to many valuable fruit crops in the United States, including raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, plums, and cherries; and
(2) the Department of Agriculture estimates that spotted wing drosophila account for a combined 20 percent revenue loss across strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, and cherry crops, based on reported yield losses due to that species.
Section 3. Spotted wing drosophila research and mitigation
Subtitle A of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7711 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(a) In general
The Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (referred to in this section as the ‘Administrator’) shall establish a fund within the Department of Agriculture to fund research relating to, and activities to mitigate the negative effects of spotted wing drosophila.
(b) Administration of Fund
The Administrator shall—
(1) determine eligible recipients to enter into cooperative agreements with, or award grants to, using amounts in the fund established under subsection (a); and
(2) oversee the activities carried out using amounts in that fund.