APHIS Establishes an Oriental Fruit Fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) Quarantine in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, California

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2023-17
October 10, 2023

Subject: APHIS Establishes an Oriental Fruit Fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) Quarantine in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, California

To: State, Territory, and Tribal Agricultural Regulatory Officials

On September 27, 2023, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) established an Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis or OFF) quarantine in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, California. This action is in response to the confirmed detections of six adult male OFF from various sites in the city of Redlands, San Bernardino County, by CDFA between September 18 and September 21. Between September 22 and September 27, CDFA confirmed 111 additional male and one mated female adult OFF in the Redlands area. All were from traps in various types of trees in residential areas. Additionally, on September 26, CDFA confirmed 43 OFF larvae from citrus fruit at one residential site within the quarantine area.

APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from the area to prevent the spread of OFF to non-infested areas of the United States. In cooperation with CDFA, APHIS is establishing a quarantine area, which encompasses 102 square miles of San Bernardino County and the adjacent Riverside County. There are approximately 1,200 acres of commercial agricultural production, including citrus, apples, avocados, peaches, and other stone fruit, in the quarantine area. APHIS is working with CDFA and the Agricultural Commissioners of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties to respond to these detections following program guidelines for survey, treatment, and regulatory actions.

The establishment of this quarantine area is reflected on the APHIS fruit fly website, which contains a description of all current federal fruit fly quarantine areas.

For additional information on the Oriental fruit fly 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