WASHINGTON, DC – PA U.S. Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman have introduced legislation dealing with the spotted lanternfly. The legislation, which has bipartisan support, would designate the insect, which is an invasive species that poses a significant threat to our nation’s agricultural economy, as a high-priority research initiative for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Spotted lanternflies were first detected in PA in 2014. They have since spread throughout the state and are currently found in 51 counties, all of which are under a state-imposed quarantine. Studies estimate that the species could cost the state $324 million annually if not contained because of the significant damage they cause. Bipartisan legislation is also being introduced in the U.S. House.
