The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has announced updates to multiple quarantines for invasive pests. The Mediterranean and Queensland fruit fly quarantines in Southern California have now ended, following the eradication of the two invasive species.
“Last year, California experienced an unusually high population of invasive fruit flies, and the response required coordination from residents, agricultural industry members and agricultural commissioners in both counties,” CDFA’s Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services Division Director, Victoria Hornbaker said in a press release. “Through this coordination, we’re incredibly proud to have successfully achieved the eradication of several species of invasive fruit flies in Southern California – including Mediterranean, Queensland and Tau – but the threat is never completely gone.”
CDFA has also updated quarantines for other invasive pests, with an expansion being made to the HLB quarantine boundary in the San Dimas and Montclair areas of Los Angeles County, along with the Riverside area of Riverside County. The Asian Citrus Psyllid Bulk Citrus Regional Quarantine Zone 6 in Riverside is also being expanded.
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Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West