APHIS Removes the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) Quarantine in San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, California

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2022-23
July 8, 2022

 

Subject:           APHIS Removes the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) Quarantine in San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, California

To:                  State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective June 19, 2022, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) removed the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine in the Upland area of San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, California.

On November 16, 2021, APHIS and CDFA established a Medfly quarantine in the Upland area of San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, and restricted 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 to respond to the CDFA’s confirmation of a mature, unmated female Medfly on October 25, and a male Medfly on November 9, from Jackson traps placed in backyard citrus trees in residential areas of Upland, California. 

Since that time, APHIS has worked cooperatively with CDFA and the San Bernardino and Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioners’ offices to eradicate the transient Medfly population through various control actions per program protocols. APHIS and CDFA removed the quarantine after three Medfly life cycles elapsed, with no further detections in this area.

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 Medfly quarantine, please contact Fruit Fly National Policy Manager, Richard Johnson, at (301) 851-2109 or richard.n.johnson@usda.gov.

 

/s/

Dr. Mark L Davidson
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine