A quarantine has been placed on portions of Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties after multiple Oriental Fruit Fly detections were made in each county. Citrus is one of the crops at risk from this pest and residents in these counties are being urged not to move any homegrown produce from their property in order to prevent its spread.
In Contra Costa County, detections near the cities of Brentwood and Oakley have resulted in a quarantine zone covering 99 square miles. In Santa Clara County, detections in the cities of Santa Clara and Sunnyvale have resulted in a quarantine zone covering 112 square miles. View the quarantine maps here: www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/off/regulation.html
While these detections were made in urban and suburban areas within Northern California’s bay area, away from any commercial citrus, it is important growers are aware and stay vigilant. These fruit flies most likely entered California by “hitchhiking” on fruits and vegetables brought back from infested areas by travelers illegally or those sent in packages.
Learn more from Citrus Insider here.
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