APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Valley Center, San Diego County, California

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2022-30
August 29, 2022

 

Subject:           APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Valley Center, San Diego County, California

To:                   State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

On August 19, 2022, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) established a Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens or Mexfly) quarantine in the Valley Center area of San Diego County, California. APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from this area.

APHIS and CDFA are taking this action following the confirmed detections of five adult Mexflies within a three-mile radius between August 2 and August 15, 2022, in the Valley Center area. In cooperation with CDFA, APHIS is responding to these confirmed detections by establishing a new quarantine area encompassing approximately 77 square miles of San Diego County. There are 4,320 acres of agricultural production in the area, including avocados and various types of citrus. APHIS is working with CDFA to respond to this detection following the program survey and treatment protocols. This action is necessary to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States.

The establishment of this quarantine area 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 Mexfly quarantine area, please contact National Fruit Fly 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