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U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, recently joined a bipartisan group of her Senate colleagues to introduce the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act to designate the spotted lanternfly, an invasive species that poses a significant threat to the nation's agricultural economy, as a high-priority research initiative for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
"The spotted lanternfly has proven to be a destructive pest that threatens New York State's specialty crops, especially vineyards throughout Western New York, the Finger Lakes, Long Island and the Hudson Valley," Gillibrand said. "If not contained, this pest will have devastating economic consequences at a time when New York farmers are already having their profits destroyed by rising diesel and fertilizer costs. Congress must immediately prioritize spotted lanternfly research to prevent further spread.”
Spotted lanternflies are harmful to specialty crops like grapes across New York state, especially in Western New York, the Finger Lakes, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley. As the species continues to spread, designating spotted lanternfly controls as a high-priority research initiative will help focus USDA scientific resources to combat the spread of this invasive pest. In 2025, researchers at Cornell University estimated that if left unchecked, the spotted lanternfly could cost New York's grape industry over $14 million over the first three years of invasion.
Joining Senator Gillibrand in introducing the bill were Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Dave McCormick (R-PA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).