APHIS Expands the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Harlingen, Cameron County, Texas

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION

DA-2022-12

March 16, 2022

 

Subject:      APHIS Expands the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Harlingen, Cameron County, Texas

To:              State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

On February 28, 2022, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) expanded the Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in Harlingen, Cameron County, Texas. This expansion follows the confirmed detections, between February 3 and February 28, 2022, of 15 adult Mexflies in citrus at various residential sites. As a result of these detections, the Harlingen quarantine increased from 150 sq. mi. to 170.35 sq. mi; the affected commercial citrus acreage increased from 1,618.6 acres to 1,769.9 acres.

APHIS and TDA established the original Cameron County quarantine following the confirmed detections of 80 adult Mexflies and 14 Mexfly larval sites in citrus from various residential areas and two commercial groves between January 14 and February 3, 2020. APHIS works cooperatively with TDA to eradicate transient Mexfly populations through various control actions per program protocols and in applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from these areas.

 The following website 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 or richard.n.johnson@usda.gov.

 

/s/

Mark L Davidson, DVM, MS
Acting Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine