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Senate committee backs pilot bounty, agencies urge caution as CRB spreads
Summary
Lawmakers voted to advance a two‑year pilot that would compensate residents for collecting coconut rhinoceros beetles, while state agencies urged investment in biocontrol research and warned of potential pitfalls with bounty programs.
Senators on Feb. 12 advanced a bill establishing a two‑year pilot program that would pay community members to collect and submit coconut rhinoceros beetles (CRB) and larvae, a proposal supporters said would mobilize local effort as the pest moves through previously unaffected areas.
Senator testimony noted recent spread and damage in multiple agricultural crops and ornamentals. “This community based bounty program to get rid of beetles is something that our community wants,” the…
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