APHIS updates the Citrus Black Spot (Phyllosticta citricarpa) Quarantine Areas in Florida

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2024-14
May 14, 2024

Subject: APHIS updates the Citrus Black Spot (Phyllosticta citricarpa) Quarantine Areas in Florida

To: State, Tribal, and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective immediately, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry (FDACS DPI), is adding nine sections in Collier County, three sections in Glades County, 25 sections in Hendry County, two sections in Lee County, and six sections in Polk County to the citrus black spot (CBS) quarantine area in Florida. Additionally, APHIS is establishing a quarantine area of six sections in Manatee County. APHIS is taking this action because of confirmed detections of P. citricarpa (formerly known as Guignardia citricarpa), the causal agent of CBS, during annual surveys conducted by APHIS and FDACS DPI during the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 growing seasons. APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement, or entry into foreign trade, of regulated articles from the quarantine area as outlined in Federal Order DA-2012-09. 

In 2010, CBS was first identified in the Collier and Hendry Counties of Florida. The disease is currently confined to portions of seven counties in Southwest Florida. Fresh citrus fruit moved interstate from the CBS quarantine areas must be processed using APHIS-approved methods and packed in commercial citrus packinghouses operating under a compliance agreement with APHIS. APHIS prohibits the movement of any other citrus plant parts outside the quarantine area. 

As established in Federal Order DA-2012-09, APHIS will publish a description of this CBS quarantine area expansion on the APHIS Citrus Black Spot Webpage. This website contains a description of all the current CBS quarantine areas, Federal Orders, and APHIS-approved packinghouse procedures.

For additional information you may contact:

Abby Stilwell
National Policy Manager
(919) 323-6296
abby.r.stilwell@usda.gov

Daniel Murphy
Assistant National Policy Manager
(775) 221-9237
daniel.m.murphy@usda.gov 

/s/ 

Dr. Mark L Davidson
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine

Attachment: Quarantined Areas: Citrus Black Spot