APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in La Feria, Cameron County, Texas

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION

DA-2019-33

December 2, 2019

 

 

Subject:           APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in La Feria, Cameron County, Texas

 

To:                   State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

 

 

Effective October 23, 2019, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) removed the Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in La Feria, Cameron County, Texas.

 

On April 22, 2019, APHIS and TDA established a Mexfly quarantine in a regulated area of La Feria, Texas, restricting interstate movement of regulated articles from this area to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States. This action was necessary after APHIS confirmed the quarantine trigger of one mated female Mexfly. Since that time, APHIS has worked cooperatively with the TDA to eradicate the transient Mexfly population through various control actions per program protocols. APHIS removed the quarantine area after three Mexfly life cycles elapsed with negative detections in this area. The following designated website, which reflects the removal of this quarantine, 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 Mexfly quarantine area, please contact Fruit Fly National Policy Manager, Richard Johnson, at 301-851-2109.

 

/s/

 

Osama El-Lissy

Deputy Administrator

Plant Protection and Quarantine