A meeting has been scheduled to address the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine in Solano County. The Solano County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office along with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), will be hosting the meeting at the County Event Center in Fairfield at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 4th.
Representatives from CDFA will be offering information on the quarantine and what growers will need to do to harvest their fruit in accordance to quarantine protocol. Solano County Department of Agriculture staff will also be addressing the status of Medfly detections in the county and what type of impact it will have in the future.
The quarantine forbidding produce from leaving the area was established after four adult Medflies were found in insect traps last week in Suisun Valley fruit orchards. The last Medfly quarantine in the area occurred 10 years ago resulting in over $1 million worth of losses for growers who were unable to ship their products out of the area.
The Medfly discoveries were made in orange, Asian pear, and quince trees, prompting an extensive survey of the surrounding area and increasing the amount of Medfly traps. Thousands of sterile male Medflies have been released to help combat the pest by preventing increased numbers.
Fortunately, many crops were already harvested before the quarantine was put in place. Barring the discovery of more Medflies, the quarantine is expected to continue until sometime in spring.