APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Hargill, Willacy County, Texas

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2022-40
November 7, 2022

To: State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials 

On September 21, 2022, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) removed the Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in Hargill, Willacy County, Texas, after three generations elapsed with no additional detections in this area. This action releases the final 91.12 square miles of the Hargill quarantine, which contained 2,616.3 acres of commercial citrus. 

On May 27, 2022, APHIS and TDA established a Mexfly quarantine in Hargill, Willacy County, Texas, following the confirmed detection of a mature mated female Mexfly from a trap in a sweet orange tree in a residential area and two larvae in a nearby commercial citrus grove. Since its inception, APHIS has worked cooperatively with TDA to eradicate these 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 quarantine area, please contact Fruit Fly National Policy Manager, Richard Johnson, at 301-851-2109 or richard.n.johnson@usda.gov. 

/s/ 

Dr. Mark L Davidson
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine