APHIS Expands the European Cherry Fruit Fly (Rhagoletis cerasi) Quarantine to include all of Orleans County, New York

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION

DA-2020-06

March 3, 2020

 

Subject:           APHIS Expands the European Cherry Fruit Fly (Rhagoletis cerasi) Quarantine to include all of Orleans County, New York

 

To:                   State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

 

Effective January 8, 2020, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM) expanded the European cherry fruit fly (ECFF) quarantine to include all of Orleans County, New York. With this expansion, the ECFF quarantine includes all of Niagara, Erie, and Orleans Counties. The 1,969 square mile quarantine contains approximately 534 acres of commercial cherry production. APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from this area. 

 

During May to August 2019, APHIS and NYSDAM confirmed ECFF in traps placed on public and private lands in Erie, Niagara, and Orleans Counties, New York, including areas outside of the 2019 quarantine boundary. In cooperation with the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM), APHIS is responding to these detections with the expansion of the quarantine area, which now encompasses three counties – Niagara, Erie, and Orleans. APHIS is working with NYSDAM to respond to these detections following program survey and treatment protocols. This action is necessary to prevent the spread of ECFF to non-infested areas of the United States, while maintaining commercial cherry production and marketing within the state.

 

The following designated website reflects the expansion of this quarantine and 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 European cherry fruit fly 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