The academic and government research on GWSS and PD received support from the state's viticulture and enology industries and even local government before and during the Temecula Valley outbreak. Industry organizations partnering with CDFA and UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) in these efforts included the American Vineyard Foundation, the California Table Grape Commission, the California Raisin Board and the California Rootstock Commission. UC ANR and CDFA provided coordination to prioritize research, avoid duplication and maximize the collective benefits of the programs. Since 1999, USDA has provided about 75% of the funding for PD control and research, and the state of California, industry and UC have provided the rest. California legislation initiated a statewide assessment on wine grapes to support research and related activities, raising about $46 million to date (Tumber et al. 2014; Wiggins 2001). The timeline here highlights some of the key events in the efforts to contain and find solutions to the PD outbreak in California.

1996

UC ANR forms Viticulture Consortium (VC), funded by a grant from USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (USDA CSREES, now USDA NIFA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture).

Report of GWSS establishment in Southern California is published.

1997

Industry-matched state funds initiate the California Competitive Grant Program for Research in Viticulture and Enology (CCGPRVE).

1998

Search for biological control agents for GWSS begins.

1999

Temecula Valley vineyards show severe damage from PD; GWSS is recognized as the vector.

Riverside County declares emergency; the county and city of Temecula each contribute $125,000 for research.

UC appoints Pierce's Disease Research and Emergency Response Task Force to identify strategies for combating PD.

CDFA appoints task force with members from UC, California State University, CDFA, county agricultural commissioners, USDA and industry to identify PD/GWSS research priorities.

CA Assembly Bill 1232 provides $2.25 million over 3 years to be matched by $0.75 million in industry funds for PD/GWSS research; the CDFA competitive grants program is funded.

2000

UC is awarded USDA CSREES grant of $2 million to establish a competitive grants program for PD/GWSS research; annual funding was renewed eight times.

UC establishes Pierce's Disease Competitive Grants Program.

CA Senate Bill 671 provides funds for a coordinated statewide effort against PD/GWSS.

Federal government declares emergency and provides $22.3 million for GWSS containment and PD research.

First GWSS infestation is found outside the generally infested Southern California area, in Contra Costa County; eradication efforts begin.

CDFA adopts emergency regulations to prevent spread of GWSS on shipments of nursery stock, bulk grapes and (later) citrus.

2001

CA Assembly Bill 1394 creates the Pierce's Disease and Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Board and an assessment on wine grapes to fund PD/GWSS research and related activities; this assessment raised $46 million through February 2014.

First area-wide management program begins in Kern County, testing methods for controlling PD and GWSS in large and diverse agricultural areas.

First annual PD/GWSS research symposium takes place.

2002

GWSS infestation found in Contra Costa County in 2000 is declared eradicated, marking the first successful eradication of a localized GWSS infestation.

2004

CDFA and UC competitive PD/GWSS research programs combine their proposal review processes.

CDFA-requested report “California Agricultural Research Priorities: Pierce's Disease” is published by National Research Council of the National Academies.

Number of GWSS biological control agents released in California since 1999 exceeds 1 million.

2005

California wine grape growers vote to continue statewide PD/ GWSS wine grape assessment.

2008

Nursery Stock Approved Treatment Protocol established to reduce need for GWSS inspections.

2010

California wine grape growers vote again to continue statewide PD/GWSS wine grape assessment, with option to support research and outreach on other wine grape pests and diseases.

2011

Last CCGPRVE-supported project completed, and the program ends.

2013

Last projects funded by USDA-UC and VC are completed; these programs end.

Industry-funded CDFA competitive grants program continues, with its proposal review process now conducted under UC ANR's Unified Grant Management for Viticulture and Enology.