The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) announced it has designated Alabama as a commercial citrus-producing area. This action provides Alabama with protections that are afforded under the citrus canker regulations applying to commercial citrus-producing states. USDA APHIS regulates the interstate movement of certain plants, plant parts and other articles from areas of the …
California Fruit Fly Quarantines Continue to Expand
Federal and state officials have expanded Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata; Medfly), Zeugodacus tau fruit fly and Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni; QFF) quarantines in California. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The Medfly and tau fruit fly quarantines …
HLB Quarantine Requirements Updated for California
California’s Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD) has officially updated the requirements for moving bulk citrus fruit within and from a huanglongbing (HLB) quarantine area to a packer/processor. CPDPD is part of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Here’s an overview of the newly updated requirements, per the CPDPD’s Citrus Grower/Grove Manager Information page: All fruit, no matter …
New HLB Quarantine Area for California
A newly established quarantine area has been declared following the detection of HLB in five trees in the Valley Center area of California’s San Diego County. The trees were located on a residential property with non-commercial citrus acreage. This is the first time the disease has been confirmed in Valley Center, marking the third area in San Diego County to …
Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Expanded in California
The Oriental fruit fly (OFFor Bactrocera dorsalis) quarantine in San Bernardino and Riverside counties in California was expanded in October and November by federal and state agriculture authorities. The actions were taken on Oct. 12, Nov. 3, Nov. 9 and Nov. 17 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of …
Medfly Quarantine Expanded
Federal and state authorities in early November expanded the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly) quarantine in the Leimert Park area of Los Angeles County, California. The action was taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) on Nov. 1 and again on Nov. …
Updates on Medfly and Psyllid Quarantines in California
Agriculture officials recently established a Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly) quarantine and expanded an Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) quarantine, both in California. MEDFLYFederal and state agriculture officials on Oct. 18 established the Medfly quarantine in California’s Los Angeles County. The action was taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and …
MRL Compliance Crucial for Citrus Exporters
Maximum residue limits (MRLs) are a constant concern for growers. MRL issues can create a variety of obstacles depending on which market citrus exports are destined for. While the industry generally complies well with MRLs, caution is crucial as they can be a significant hurdle. Jim Cranney, president of the California Citrus Quality Council, said certain markets can be more …
California Fruit Fly Quarantines Expanded
Federal and California agriculture officials have expanded the Tau fruit fly quarantine in Los Angeles County and the Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantine in San Bernadino and Riverside counties. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). TAU FRUIT FLYThe agencies expanded …
Queensland Fruit Fly Quarantine in California
Portions of Ventura and Los Angeles counties have been placed under quarantine for the Queensland fruit fly (QFF), the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announced in late October. The quarantine followed the detection of two adult QFFs within the city of Thousand Oaks in Ventura County. The quarantine area measures 76 square miles. It is bordered on the …
FFVA Endorses Glyphosate Renewal in Europe
Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) recently submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service endorsing the European Union’s (EU) 10-year registration renewal efforts for glyphosate. In the letter, FFVA stressed that glyphosate herbicide has been used safely and successfully in Europe for more than 40 years. It noted that leading health regulators, including in Europe, the …
More Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantines in California
Federal and state agriculture officials in late September established Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantines in Sacramento, San Bernardino and Riverside counties in California. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) following OFF detections in those areas. The new quarantines come …
Imports From Japan Would Pose Pest Risk
A federal pest risk assessment for the importation of fresh citrus from Japan has identified the Japanese orange fly (Bactrocera tsuneonis) as posing a high risk of introduction into the United States. The 120-page assessment was prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS). The agency assessed the risk of scores of insects, …
First HLB Detection in Ventura County
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has declared a quarantine in Ventura County following the detection of the citrus disease huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, in two citrus trees on one residential property in the city of Santa Paula. These detections are the first HLB-positive trees in Ventura County. CDFA is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture …
FFVA: Work Needed on Miami-Dade Heat Bill
The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) recently requested the rejection of Miami-Dade County’s proposed Heat Standard for Outdoor Workers. FFVA urged the county’s Community Health Committee (CHC) to engage agricultural producers in developing a meaningful and workable standard. FFVA argued that the proposed standard is intentionally broad and punitive and does not provide the support needed for implementation. The …
Rule Would Bolster H-2A Farmworker Protections
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on Sept. 12 proposed a new rule that would strengthen protections for temporary foreign farmworkers in the H-2A program. This is the third proposed regulation tied specifically to the H-2A program in the last year. It follows the final DOL rule published in October 2022 that modernized key aspects of the H-2A program and …
Fruit Fly Quarantine Actions in California
Portions of Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties in California have been placed under quarantine for the Oriental fruit fly (OFF), and a quarantine in Orange County has been removed. See the updated quarantine map here. CONTRA COSTA COUNTYIn Contra Costa County, detections near the cities of Brentwood and Oakley have resulted in a quarantine zone covering 99 square miles. …
Tau Fruit Fly Quarantine Expanded
Federal and state agriculture agencies on Aug. 15 expanded the Zeugodacus tau fruit fly quarantine in the Stevenson Ranch area of Los Angeles County, California. The action was taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The expansion was in response to the confirmed …
Florida Growers Vote to Amend Federal Marketing Order
Florida citrus producers voted to amend the federal marketing order regulating the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and pummelos grown in Florida, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Aug. 29. In a referendum held April 1–May1, all amendments met the requirement of being favored by two-thirds of the producers voting or by two-thirds of the volume represented. The …
Proposed Biosecurity Protection Levy Stuns Citrus Australia
Citrus Australia has urged the federal government to repeal its proposed Biosecurity Protection Levy. Announced under the government’s 2023–24 budget, the levy will apply to Australian producers of agricultural, forestry and fishery products starting July 1, 2024. The levy has been set at a rate equivalent to 10% of the 2020–21 industry-led agricultural levies. This is estimated to increase receipts …