APHIS Removes the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) Quarantine Area in Fairfield Area of Solano County, California

                                                                                                              FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
                                                                                                                                                     DA-2018-28
                                                                                                                                                 August 13, 2018

Subject: APHIS Removes the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) Quarantine Area in Fairfield Area of Solano County, California

To: State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective July 30, 2018, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) removed the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine area in the Fairfield area of Solano County, California.

On September 23, 2017, APHIS and CDFA established a Medfly quarantine in a regulated area of Fairfield, California, restricting interstate movement of regulated articles from this area to prevent the spread of Medfly to non-infested areas of the United States. This action was necessary after one adult female and four adult male Medflies were detected between August 23 and September 25, 2017. Since that time, APHIS has worked cooperatively with the CDFA and the Solano County Agricultural Commissioner’s office to eradicate the transient Medfly population through various control actions per program protocols.

APHIS removed the quarantine area after three Medfly life-cycles elapsed with negative detections in this area. This removal of the quarantine is reflected on the following designated website, which contains a description of all the current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas:

                                       http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/ff-quarantine

For additional information on the Medfly quarantine area, please contact National Fruit Fly Policy Manager John Stewart at 919-855-7426.

 

Osama El-Lissy
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine