Fruit fly larvae finds in Texas citrus trigger action
Fruit fly larvae finds in Texas citrus trigger action
Fruit fly larvae were found in two different shipments of Texas citrus at a California/Arizona border agricultural inspection station in late April, triggering immediate suspension of shipments from the shippers in question and a new protocol for other shippers.
As USDA, Texas, California and Arizona agricultural officials discussed the issue, Texas shippers were grateful that the problems came at the end of the season. With most Texas shippers in the process of shutting down their plants for the year, the impact is expected to be fairly minimal for this season. However, the fly larvae finds, which are suspected to be of the Mexican fruit fly, do require an intense audit of the current program.
A California Department of Food & Agriculture spokesperson confirmed that live fruit fly larvae had been found in two citrus shipments, one originated by Rio Queen Citrus Inc. in Mission, TX, and another that came from Healds Valley Farms Ltd. in Edinburg, TX. Consequently California and Arizona suspended shipments from those two shippers as well as their affiliate companies.
As of Wednesday, April 26, shipments from five citrus companies could not come into California or Arizona: Rio Queen; Interstate Fruit & Vegetable Co. Inc. in Donna, TX; Healds Valley; Mission Shippers in Edinburg, TX; and Donna Fruit Co. in Edinburg, TX. In addition, a few pallets of limes from Godinez International LLC in Hidalgo, TX, were also on one of the loads of citrus, so limes from that firm were also barred from entering California and Arizona.
However, limes are not host to the Mexican fruit fly, so observers were expecting that suspension to be dropped quickly.
For other shippers of oranges and grapefruit from Texas, their fruit had to be fumigated in the presence of a USDA or Texas agricultural official and certified as such before it could be sent to either of the two western states.
As a practical matter, John McClung of the Texas Produce Association said that few shipments would go through this fumigation protocol in the remaining days of the deal. While the fly larvae finds were disconcerting, Mr. McClung said that the problem was still being analyzed and it may turn out not to be a problem at all.
Mr. McClung said it is possible that the live larvae found were in fact "wrigglers," which he explained were larvae that had been rendered ineffective by fumigation but were still technically alive and moving, or twitching, as they were heading toward death. If this is the case, the fumigation process did its job and the regular protocol, as opposed to this emergency protocol, could be used when shipments resume next season.
On the other hand, the larvae finds may reveal some flaws in the system that need to be addressed. Mr. McClung explained that Texas has five citrus-growing zones in the three counties that produce its oranges and grapefruits which are shipped throughout the United States and the world. Those zones are prone to fruit flies, so separate protocols have been established to deal with the inevitable flies that are found each year.
Throughout the season, sterile fruit flies are released by the USDA at the rate of 125 per acre per week. Mr. McClung said that each zone has a number of finds of non-sterile flies that trigger the implementation of a strict shipping protocol. For example, once four potent flies are found in Zone 3, that zone goes under quarantine conditions, or goes "down, as Mr. McClung refers to it.
Before a zone is down, citrus can be shipped anywhere in the United States with no restrictions and no fumigation requirements. Mr. McClung explained that once a zone goes down, shippers sending the product to another citrus-producing state must either fumigate the fruit or follow a strict trapping and spraying program. Typically, Mr. McClung said that all of the zones have no restrictions through the winter and into the early spring. By April, the fly population picks up and it is not unusual for all the zones to be "down by the end of the season, which is what happened this year.
Of the two shipments found with fruit flies, one had been fumigated and the other had not. Instead, that shipper was operating under the trapping and spraying protocol.
"We obviously are frustrated, said Mr. McClung, trying to verbalize the collective feelings of the Texas citrus industry. "We have invested quite heavily over the last couple of years, making sure we are complying with all the regulations, that our chambers are up to code, so to speak, and that we have the proper procedures in place. And we still come up with live larvae. That is frustrating.
Mr. McClung said that in the world of contamination by fruit fly larvae, one bad piece of fruit does spoil the whole batch. "All of us in citrus-producing regions are very concerned about what might be brought in from outside. We don't always agree on the course of action, but California's concerns are legitimate.
He said that Texas is equally concerned about these fly finds and how they might affect the USDA with regard to Texas. He indicated that both a positive and a negative response are possible.
For the past year, a proposed regulation concerning the Texas citrus-shipping protocol under quarantine conditions has been moving through the rule-making process of the USDA's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service. Mr. McClung explained that the rule, as originally written, would require all citrus leaving Texas from a downed zone be fumigated, regardless of destination. Texas argued against this. "In the first place, we don't have the facilities to do that, he said. "And it is unnecessary.
However, in light of these recent live larvae finds, Mr. McClung is concerned that APHIS might see fit to enact that regulation.
But on the positive side, he hopes that these finds trigger a ramping up of the sterile fly release program. Currently they release 125 flies per acre per week. Research shows that they should be releasing 500 flies per week per acre. It has been a budget issue, but maybe this will change that.
He also hopes that these larvae finds end all talk of allowing untreated Mexican citrus into the United States. "We certainly shouldn't be increasing the risk [of pest infestation] from Mexico, when we obviously still have a domestic problem.
As USDA, Texas, California and Arizona agricultural officials discussed the issue, Texas shippers were grateful that the problems came at the end of the season. With most Texas shippers in the process of shutting down their plants for the year, the impact is expected to be fairly minimal for this season. However, the fly larvae finds, which are suspected to be of the Mexican fruit fly, do require an intense audit of the current program.
A California Department of Food & Agriculture spokesperson confirmed that live fruit fly larvae had been found in two citrus shipments, one originated by Rio Queen Citrus Inc. in Mission, TX, and another that came from Healds Valley Farms Ltd. in Edinburg, TX. Consequently California and Arizona suspended shipments from those two shippers as well as their affiliate companies.
As of Wednesday, April 26, shipments from five citrus companies could not come into California or Arizona: Rio Queen; Interstate Fruit & Vegetable Co. Inc. in Donna, TX; Healds Valley; Mission Shippers in Edinburg, TX; and Donna Fruit Co. in Edinburg, TX. In addition, a few pallets of limes from Godinez International LLC in Hidalgo, TX, were also on one of the loads of citrus, so limes from that firm were also barred from entering California and Arizona.
However, limes are not host to the Mexican fruit fly, so observers were expecting that suspension to be dropped quickly.
For other shippers of oranges and grapefruit from Texas, their fruit had to be fumigated in the presence of a USDA or Texas agricultural official and certified as such before it could be sent to either of the two western states.
As a practical matter, John McClung of the Texas Produce Association said that few shipments would go through this fumigation protocol in the remaining days of the deal. While the fly larvae finds were disconcerting, Mr. McClung said that the problem was still being analyzed and it may turn out not to be a problem at all.
Mr. McClung said it is possible that the live larvae found were in fact "wrigglers," which he explained were larvae that had been rendered ineffective by fumigation but were still technically alive and moving, or twitching, as they were heading toward death. If this is the case, the fumigation process did its job and the regular protocol, as opposed to this emergency protocol, could be used when shipments resume next season.
On the other hand, the larvae finds may reveal some flaws in the system that need to be addressed. Mr. McClung explained that Texas has five citrus-growing zones in the three counties that produce its oranges and grapefruits which are shipped throughout the United States and the world. Those zones are prone to fruit flies, so separate protocols have been established to deal with the inevitable flies that are found each year.
Throughout the season, sterile fruit flies are released by the USDA at the rate of 125 per acre per week. Mr. McClung said that each zone has a number of finds of non-sterile flies that trigger the implementation of a strict shipping protocol. For example, once four potent flies are found in Zone 3, that zone goes under quarantine conditions, or goes "down, as Mr. McClung refers to it.
Before a zone is down, citrus can be shipped anywhere in the United States with no restrictions and no fumigation requirements. Mr. McClung explained that once a zone goes down, shippers sending the product to another citrus-producing state must either fumigate the fruit or follow a strict trapping and spraying program. Typically, Mr. McClung said that all of the zones have no restrictions through the winter and into the early spring. By April, the fly population picks up and it is not unusual for all the zones to be "down by the end of the season, which is what happened this year.
Of the two shipments found with fruit flies, one had been fumigated and the other had not. Instead, that shipper was operating under the trapping and spraying protocol.
"We obviously are frustrated, said Mr. McClung, trying to verbalize the collective feelings of the Texas citrus industry. "We have invested quite heavily over the last couple of years, making sure we are complying with all the regulations, that our chambers are up to code, so to speak, and that we have the proper procedures in place. And we still come up with live larvae. That is frustrating.
Mr. McClung said that in the world of contamination by fruit fly larvae, one bad piece of fruit does spoil the whole batch. "All of us in citrus-producing regions are very concerned about what might be brought in from outside. We don't always agree on the course of action, but California's concerns are legitimate.
He said that Texas is equally concerned about these fly finds and how they might affect the USDA with regard to Texas. He indicated that both a positive and a negative response are possible.
For the past year, a proposed regulation concerning the Texas citrus-shipping protocol under quarantine conditions has been moving through the rule-making process of the USDA's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service. Mr. McClung explained that the rule, as originally written, would require all citrus leaving Texas from a downed zone be fumigated, regardless of destination. Texas argued against this. "In the first place, we don't have the facilities to do that, he said. "And it is unnecessary.
However, in light of these recent live larvae finds, Mr. McClung is concerned that APHIS might see fit to enact that regulation.
But on the positive side, he hopes that these finds trigger a ramping up of the sterile fly release program. Currently they release 125 flies per acre per week. Research shows that they should be releasing 500 flies per week per acre. It has been a budget issue, but maybe this will change that.
He also hopes that these larvae finds end all talk of allowing untreated Mexican citrus into the United States. "We certainly shouldn't be increasing the risk [of pest infestation] from Mexico, when we obviously still have a domestic problem.
