California’s Valencia Orange Forecast

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Crop Forecast

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently reported additional information about the state’s 2022–23 Valencia orange forecast of 16.2 million 40-pound cartons. This figure is equal to the 8.1 million 80-pound boxes forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on March 8. The CDFA forecast, also issued on March 8, is below the prior season production of 17.2 …

Psyllids Confirmed in Sonoma County, California

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Psyllids

California officials have confirmed the presence of HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids in a residential area east of Sonoma. The confirmation came following analysis of a survey trap set by the Sonoma County Department of Agriculture. The county department is coordinating with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) in responding to the pest’s presence in Sonoma Valley. “Discovery of …

First HLB Confirmation in City of San Diego

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, HLB Management, Regulation

The citrus disease HLB has been confirmed for the first time in the city of San Diego, California, making it the second city in San Diego County with a positive detection. (Read about the first San Diego County detection here.) The new detection was made in a residential citrus tree located in the Rancho Bernardo area of the city. The …

More CYVCV Detected in California

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Diseases

Two new detections of citrus yellow vein clearing virus (CYVCV) have been confirmed in rural residential citrus trees in the city of Visalia in Tulare County, California. The detections resulted from an ongoing survey and sampling activities conducted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). CYVCV had previously been confirmed in August in the city of Tulare; learn …

Assessment Rate Set for California Citrus Growers

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Regulation

The California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) has established an assessment rate for California citrus producers of 3.2 cents per 40-pound standard field box for the 2022–23 marketing season. The marketing season runs from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023. The assessment applies to all types and varieties of citrus, as defined by the California Citrus Research Program, …

Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Removed in California

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Pests, Regulation

Federal and state agriculture officials removed the Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantine in the North Hills area of Los Angeles County, California. The action was taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). On July 1, APHIS and CDFA established an OFF quarantine in …

Regulatory Response to New Citrus Disease Being Developed

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Diseases, Regulation

State and federal officials are collaborating in the development of a regulatory response to a new citrus disease in California. Citrus yellow vein clearing virus (CYVCV) was identified in the city of Tulare in March. The discovery is the first instance of the disease in the United States. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the U.S. Department …

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New Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Established in California

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Pests, Regulation

Federal and state agriculture authorities on Sept. 16 established an Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) quarantine in the Fountain Valley area of Orange 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). This action is in response to the confirmed detections …

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California Navel Orange Forecast Up

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Production

The initial 2022–23 California navel orange forecast is for 76 million cartons, up 19% from the previous year. Of the total navel orange forecast, 73 million cartons are estimated to be in the Central Valley. Cara Cara variety navel orange production in the Central Valley is forecast at 8 million cartons. The Sept. 12 forecast was issued by the California …

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California’s Total Reported Citrus Acreage Slightly Up

Josh McGillAcreage, California Corner

California citrus acreage (bearing and nonbearing) planted in grapefruit, lemons, limes, mandarins and pummelos increased in 2022 when compared to 2020. However, the state’s orange acreage declined. That information was in the 2022 California Citrus Acreage Report by the California Department of Food and Agriculture in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Although orange …

Mexfly quarantine

New Mexfly Quarantine for California

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Pests, Regulation

A portion of San Diego County in California has been placed under a quarantine for the Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly). The quarantine follows the detection of six flies and one larva in and around the unincorporated area of Valley Center. The quarantine will affect any growers, wholesalers, nurseries and retailers of host fruit or host plants in the area. The …

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Voluntary Best Practices for California Citrus Growers’ Response to HLB

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, HLB Management, Industry News Release

Best Practices Developed by Grower-Led, Science-Supported Task Force To provide California citrus growers with a strong toolbox of science-supported strategies and tactics to protect their orchards from huanglongbing (HLB), the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Committee endorsed a set of best practices for growers to voluntarily employ in response to HLB in California. The recommendations — which were developed based …

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As California HLB Detections Rise, Priorities Refocus

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Citrus, Citrus Greening, HLB Management

By Brian German A series of strategic planning sessions have helped to craft a more detail-oriented approach to address the spread of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and management of huanglongbing (HLB) detections. As of Oct. 9, there have been 906 positive HLB detections in California. “The real hot spot for us right now is Orange County. We’re finding a lot of HLB-positive …

California Judge Stops CDFA Pest Control Spraying

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner

A California Superior Court judge has ordered the state’s Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to temporarily stop spraying pesticides for agricultural pest control. The judge decided in favor of a lawsuit filed by 11 environmental activist groups and the city of Berkeley. Private citizens will still be able to use chemical insecticides on their property, but the order requires …

California Amends HLB Quarantine Zones

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, HLB Management

  On Jan. 1, 2018, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) implemented an emergency regional quarantine to more effectively protect California citrus from huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The quarantine created seven zones: 1) counties where HLB has not been detected and are not next to citrus-producing counties or the Mexican border; 2, 3 and 4) counties widely infested with ACP …

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California Ag Chief Prepared to Battle HLB

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, HLB Management

In an interview at the Citrus Research Board’s (CRB) annual conference last month, Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), said the present status of huanglongbing (HLB) disease is similar to another disease that challenged the California citrus industry years ago. Pierce’s disease was a potentially devastating threat long before HLB. “One of the things …