ACP
Quarantine Expands
In
Tulare And Kern Counties
An
additional 234 square miles in Tulare and Kern Counties have been placed
under quarantine TODAY for
the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) following the detection of three psyllids
near Exeter, Lemon Cove and the unincorporated area southeast of
Porterville in Tulare county. This brings the total quarantined area
in the region to 888 square miles.
The
quarantine zone expanded approximately 197 square miles in Tulare County
in the Exeter and Lemon Cove areas and in the unincorporated
area southeast of Porterville. The detection in the Porterville area
also expanded that quarantine area into Kern County by approximately 37
square miles. These areas are in addition to the previously announced
quarantine areas in Tulare and Kern Counties.
In addition
to the quarantines in these portions of Tulare and Kern Counties and
nearby portions of Fresno County, ACP quarantines are in place in
Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa
Barbara, and Ventura Counties.
The ACP is
an invasive species of grave concern because it can carry the disease
huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening. All citrus and closely
related species are susceptible hosts for both the insect and the
disease. There is no cure once a tree becomes infected. The
diseased tree will decline in health until it dies.
HLB has
been detected just once in California – last year on a single residential
property in Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County. HLB is known to be
present in Mexico and in parts of the southern U.S. Florida first detected
the pest in 1998 and the disease in 2005, and the two have been detected
in all 30 citrus-producing counties in that state. The University of
Florida estimates the disease has tallied more than 6,600 lost jobs, $1.3
billion in lost revenue to growers and $3.6 billion in lost
economic activity. The disease is present in Georgia, Louisiana, South
Carolina and Texas. The states of Alabama, Arizona, Hawaii, and
Mississippi have detected the pest but not the disease.
Residents
with backyard citrus trees in the quarantine area are asked to not remove
fruit from the area. Residents in the area who think they may have
seen the Asian citrus psyllid are urged to call CDFA’s Pest Hotline at
1-800-491-1899. For more information on the Asian citrus psyllid and
huanglongbing disease please visit: www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/acp.
Labels: 197 miles in Tulare County, 37 miles in Kern County, NEW ACP QUARANTINE, TULARE AND KERN COUNTIES
In addition
to the quarantines in these portions of Tulare and Kern Counties and
nearby portions of Fresno County, ACP quarantines are in place in
Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa
Barbara, and Ventura Counties.
