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APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Lasara, Willacy County, Texas

Published: Feb 13, 2020
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FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2020-03
February 12, 2020

To: State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials 

Effective January 22, 2020, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) established a Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens or Mexfly) quarantine in Lasara, Willacy County, Texas. APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from this area. 

On January 21, 2020, APHIS confirmed two female and four male adult Mexflies from a residential sour orange tree in Lasara, Texas. APHIS, in conjunction with the TDA, is responding to these confirmed detections with the establishment of a new quarantine area, which encompasses 83 square miles of Lasara, Willacy County. There are approximately 852 acres of commercial citrus within the quarantine area. APHIS is working with TDA to respond to these detections following program survey and treatment protocols. This action is necessary to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States. 

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 quarantine area, please contact the Fruit Fly National Policy Manager, Richard Johnson, at 301-851-2109. 

/s/

Osama El-Lissy
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine

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