The Great Lime Shortage of 2014
Hell with droughts, floods, earthquakes caused by fracking — we're facing a lime shortage! Drink prices going through the roof, or — even worse — Margaritas and Mojitos made with lemon juice!?!?!?!
Fortunately, a tiny parasitic wasp might be our Savior. Limes in Florida, Texas and California are getting decimated by Huanglongbing, a citrus greening disease. Huanglongbing is being spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, a tiny plant-eating insect. And the Tamarixia radiate wasp kills these lime-eating psyllids.
The USDA will be spending $1.5 million on a breeding program to increase the numbers of these Tamarixia radiate wasps. The wasps will be released in Florida, Texas and California. And believe it or not, Congress has appropriated $125 million to a fund for preventing Huanglongbing over the next five years. You go Congress!
John Boehner may hate clean air, endangered species and poor people, but don't fuck with his Mojito.
Labels: Asian citrus psyllid, Huanglongbing, Tamarixia radiate wasp
posted by Tom Harper @ 4:39 PM
5 Comments:
Too bad he does not care as much for the American citizens as he does for his Mojito.
Again I am in the forefront of everyone. We planted several lime and lemon trees couple years ago and they are producing lots of fruit for us. I would ship them out but my shipping and handling fee is high :)
The link doesn't have the article, but the examples are 2 red states and the red part of a blue state.
No doubt some billionaire agribusinesses got affected and that's why they are getting help.
And Hey I use Limes for Thai Cooking as well as Cuba Libre's
Erik
Maybe we will really get lucky and find that these wasps also gravitate to the ultra-right wingers in Florida and that their sting is fatal. We can only hope.
Jerry: For Boehner and his ilk, it's Booze Über Alles.
Jess: Maybe you could sell them to your neighbors at outrageously inflated prices :)
Erik: You're right about 2 red states and the red part of a blue state. And I'm sure a few billionaire "farmers" arranged for this government "help."
Mr. C: LOL. That would sure be a great bonus.
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