FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2020-20
September 29, 2020
To: State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials
On September 13 and 14, 2020, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) removed two Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantines after three Mexfly life-cycles elapsed with no additional detections in these areas.
APHIS works cooperatively with TDA to eradicate the transient Mexfly populations through various control actions per program protocols. 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 Mexfly program, please contact Fruit Fly National Policy Manager, Richard Johnson, at 301-851-2109.
/s/
Osama El-Lissy
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.