The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program, an agency of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), has revised the rules governing shipment of citrus within the state. The rules are in place to protect commercial citrus groves from the threat of huanglongbing (HLB) disease.
Effective July 31, 2020, bulk citrus fruit may be shipped directly to a packinghouse or processor located within a quarantine area without meeting the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP)-free performance standard, provided that the shipment originates from the immediately adjacent, surrounding ACP bulk citrus regional quarantine zone. The fruit may not originate from within an HLB quarantine area. All shipments of citrus fruit must continue to be fully safeguarded with a tarp or enclosed vehicle while in transit.
Citrus growers in ACP Bulk Citrus Regional Quarantine Zone 5 may ship fruit without mitigation into the immediately adjacent HLB quarantine area in Riverside and San Bernardino. Citrus fruit grown and shipped from any other zone must meet the ACP-free performance standard prior to shipment.
An ACP that tested positive for CLas, the causal agent of HLB, was recently found for the first time in a California commercial citrus grove. See the story.
“Protecting our commercial citrus production is of the utmost importance for the committee,” said Jim Gorden, chairman of the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program. “By implementing this change, it will not only minimize the long-range movement of ACP from one area to another, but it will also establish a precedent for all areas that may fall into the HLB quarantine zone in the future.”
This amendment comes after the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Committee unanimously voted to revoke Quarantine Commodity (QC) 1486 in April of this year.
To review the full document for citrus growers and grove managers in an ACP bulk citrus regional quarantine zone or HLB quarantine area, click here.
Source: Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program