Federal and Texas agriculture officials amended the Brownsville Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in Cameron County and removed the Edinburg Mexfly quarantine in Hidalgo County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) made the amendments.
On Aug. 22, APHIS and TDA reduced the Brownsville quarantine by 67 square miles, including 103 acres of commercial citrus, after three generations elapsed since the date of the last Mexfly detection in that portion. The amended quarantine encompasses 64 square miles and does not include any commercial citrus.
On Sept. 2, APHIS and TDA removed the Edinburg quarantine. This action released 69 square miles from quarantine, including 449 acres of commercial citrus. Release from quarantine occurred after three generations elapsed since the date of the last detection.
APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States, as well as to prevent the entry of these fruit flies into foreign trade. APHIS is working with TDA to eradicate transient Mexfly populations following program guidelines for survey, treatment and regulatory actions.
The APHIS exotic fruit flies web page contains descriptions and maps of the Mexfly quarantine areas and all current federal fruit fly quarantine areas. APHIS will publish a notice of these changes in the Federal Register.
According to APHIS, the Mexfly can infest more than 50 types of fruits and vegetables, particularly citrus and mango. The damage makes crops inedible and unmarketable. The pest was first found in central Mexico in 1863 and along the California-Mexico border in the early 1950s. Today, Mexfly continues to pose a serious threat for the Texas citrus industry and a wide range of other valuable U.S. crops.
Source: APHIS
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