Medfly quarantine in California's Solano County
Medfly quarantine in California's Solano County
The California Department of Food & Agriculture has established a 114- square-mile quarantine zone in California's Solano County in the Dixon area following the detection of a Mediterranean fruit fly infestation.
As of Sept. 19, 13 wild Medflies and larvae had been detected in the area. This is the first Medfly infestation in the Central Valley since the early 1980s.
The Medfly can infest more than 260 types of fruits and vegetables, causing severe damage to California agricultural exports and backyard gardens. A permanent infestation would result in estimated annual losses of $1.3 billion to $1.8 billion.
Steve Lyle, spokesperson for CDFA, said that the quarantine would be in effect for a minimum of 10 months. A single female Medfly can lay up to 1,200 eggs. To combat the infestation, CDFA began releasing sterile Mediterranean fruit flies in a more than 12-square mile region by air in the Dixon area in the Central Valley the week of Sept. 10. That effort is expected to carry on until July 2008 with 3 million sterile Medflies per week being released. The flies -- sterile males -- have a proven track record in Southern California of breeding with wild females, helping to achieve eradication.
Agricultural shipments from the quarantine zone will be limited by specific regulations designed to minimize movement of potentially infested commodities, and people moving through the quarantine zone were being urged to not remove fruits and vegetables from the area.
The quarantine requires that local residents not move homegrown fruits and vegetables from the property of origin. Residents are encouraged to dispose of fruits and vegetables by double-bagging them and placing the bags in the garbage.
Jerry Howard, agricultural commissioner for Solano County, said that the effort is underway to get growers, processors and haulers to sign compliance agreements.
The harvest for tomatoes -- last year's top crop in Solano County -- is in full swing. "Quite a few of those tomatoes go to a local Campbell's plant" for processing, Mr. Howard said.
The CDFA is trying to work out mitigating measures for growers and shippers such as pre-harvest steps, cold treatments and fumigants. Mr. Howard said that it is too late for pre-harvest measures, but that post-harvest fumigants could be utilized.
Tomato growers "are worried we don't have an answer" and that organic growers with farmer's markets will be hurt. Regarding tomatoes, crates will be filled below the rim to prevent product from falling off trucks, so haulers will haul less than a full load, Mr. Howard said.
Solano County's farm-gate value for 2006 was $233.5 million. In addition to tomatoes, crops that topped the $1-million list include wine grapes, walnuts and dried plums. Bell peppers are significant to Solano County, but cherries, peaches, pears, apricots, persimmons, pomegranates, oranges, olives and other fresh produce also are grown in the county.
For further information, call the CDFA pest hotline at 800/491-1899.
As of Sept. 19, 13 wild Medflies and larvae had been detected in the area. This is the first Medfly infestation in the Central Valley since the early 1980s.
The Medfly can infest more than 260 types of fruits and vegetables, causing severe damage to California agricultural exports and backyard gardens. A permanent infestation would result in estimated annual losses of $1.3 billion to $1.8 billion.
Steve Lyle, spokesperson for CDFA, said that the quarantine would be in effect for a minimum of 10 months. A single female Medfly can lay up to 1,200 eggs. To combat the infestation, CDFA began releasing sterile Mediterranean fruit flies in a more than 12-square mile region by air in the Dixon area in the Central Valley the week of Sept. 10. That effort is expected to carry on until July 2008 with 3 million sterile Medflies per week being released. The flies -- sterile males -- have a proven track record in Southern California of breeding with wild females, helping to achieve eradication.
Agricultural shipments from the quarantine zone will be limited by specific regulations designed to minimize movement of potentially infested commodities, and people moving through the quarantine zone were being urged to not remove fruits and vegetables from the area.
The quarantine requires that local residents not move homegrown fruits and vegetables from the property of origin. Residents are encouraged to dispose of fruits and vegetables by double-bagging them and placing the bags in the garbage.
Jerry Howard, agricultural commissioner for Solano County, said that the effort is underway to get growers, processors and haulers to sign compliance agreements.
The harvest for tomatoes -- last year's top crop in Solano County -- is in full swing. "Quite a few of those tomatoes go to a local Campbell's plant" for processing, Mr. Howard said.
The CDFA is trying to work out mitigating measures for growers and shippers such as pre-harvest steps, cold treatments and fumigants. Mr. Howard said that it is too late for pre-harvest measures, but that post-harvest fumigants could be utilized.
Tomato growers "are worried we don't have an answer" and that organic growers with farmer's markets will be hurt. Regarding tomatoes, crates will be filled below the rim to prevent product from falling off trucks, so haulers will haul less than a full load, Mr. Howard said.
Solano County's farm-gate value for 2006 was $233.5 million. In addition to tomatoes, crops that topped the $1-million list include wine grapes, walnuts and dried plums. Bell peppers are significant to Solano County, but cherries, peaches, pears, apricots, persimmons, pomegranates, oranges, olives and other fresh produce also are grown in the county.
For further information, call the CDFA pest hotline at 800/491-1899.
