SWAT Act of 2026

The Spotted Wing Abatement Trust Act of 2026 amends the Plant Protection Act to create a new fund specifically for addressing the invasive spotted wing drosophila. This fund will support research into the pest and activities designed to mitigate its negative effects on agricultural crops.

The Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is tasked with establishing and overseeing this fund within the Department of Agriculture. The Administrator will determine eligible recipients for cooperative agreements or grants to carry out these vital research and mitigation efforts. Congress finds that this invasive species has caused significant damage and revenue loss, estimated at 20 percent across several key fruit crops. The bill authorizes an appropriation of $6,500,000 for the fiscal year of enactment and for each of the subsequent four fiscal years to support these initiatives.