The United States Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, has broadened the quarantine zones for the Asian citrus psyllid in California. The expansion, announced on November 6, now includes Fresno, Kern, San Luis Obispo, and Tulare counties. This move is in response to the logistical challenges of maintaining a 5-mile buffer from areas where the Asian citrus psyllid has been detected.

Additional Counties Added to Quarantine List

In addition to the state-level quarantines, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has added 18 more counties to the quarantine list. These include Alameda, Contra Costa, Kings, Madera, Marin, Merced, Monterey, Placer, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Yolo counties.

Safeguarding Measures Implemented

The USDA is implementing safeguarding measures to control the interstate movement of regulated articles from the quarantined areas. These measures mirror the intrastate quarantines established by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Preventing the Spread of Huanglongbing

The USDA asserts that these actions are crucial to prevent the spread of transmissible diseases like Huanglongbing, caused by the Asian citrus psyllid, to non-infested areas of the U.S.

Details of the changes to the quarantine areas can be found on the APHIS Asian citrus psyllid website.

Read more at The Packer.