APHIS Expands the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Texas

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2024-46
December 3, 2024

Subject: APHIS Expands the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Texas

To: State, Territory, and Tribal Agricultural Regulatory Officials

On November 18, 2024, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) expanded the Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens; Mexfly) quarantine in Donna, Hidalgo County, Texas.

Expansion of the Donna quarantine is in response to the confirmed detection on November 14 of a Mexfly larva in fruit on a residential property. The quarantine area increased by 21 square miles to 117 square miles and includes 1,249 acres of commercial citrus. APHIS and TDA established the original quarantine on August 15 following the detection of Mexfly larvae in citrus fruits in a commercial grove; they expanded the quarantine on September 28 following the detection of Mexfly larvae on a residential property.

APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States, as well as to prevent the entry of these fruit flies into foreign trade. APHIS is working with TDA to eradicate transient Mexfly populations following program guidelines for survey, treatment, and regulatory actions.

The APHIS exotic fruit flies website contains descriptions and maps of the new quarantine areas, as well as all current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas. APHIS will publish a notice of these changes in the Federal Register.

For additional information on the Mexfly quarantine areas, please contact:

Richard Johnson
National Policy Manager
301-851-2109
richard.n.johnson@usda.gov

Avraham Eitam
Assistant National Policy Manager
614-205-4565
avraham.eitam@usda.gov

/s/

Dr. Mark L Davidson
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine