Oriental Fruit Fly Invasion Over for Parts of California
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), working in coordination with USDA and the Sacramento County Agricultural Commissioner, has declared the end of the Oriental fruit fly quarantine in Sacramento County following the eradication of the invasive pest.
The declaration comes nearly eight months after officials first detected populations of the Oriental fruit fly in the area and established a quarantine encompassing parts of Rancho Cordova, and the communities of La Riviera, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, and Gold River in the County of Sacramento. This declaration follows another successful case of eradication announced last week in Santa Clara County.
“The recent quarantine lifts in Sacramento and Santa Clara counties exemplify the power each California resident holds in helping federal, state, and county agricultural officers detect and eliminate the threat of invasive species,” says Victoria Hornbaker, Director of CDFA’s Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services Division. “Thanks to the responsiveness and cooperation of residents across California and our partners, we can keep California’s natural environment and food supply plentiful, safe and pest-free.”
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During the quarantine, crops that are hosts for the invasive pest — which include more than 300 varieties, such as citrus and other fruits, nuts, vegetables, and berries — were not allowed to be moved from the properties where they were grown. Commercial crops were required to meet stringent treatment or processing standards before being harvested or moved.
While the Sacramento County and Santa Clara County quarantine areas have been lifted, five other active fruit fly quarantines remain in California, which still threaten the state’s natural environment, agriculture, and economy.
For more, continue reading at cdfa.ca.gov.
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