Citrus Diseases

Last Modified: May 14, 2025
USDA inspector looking at citrus tree.

Citrus-producing regions in the United States are at high risk for the introduction and establishment of exotic pests and diseases because of their proximity to international air and maritime ports and favorable climatic conditions.

Five exotic citrus pests and diseases are established in the United States and have the potential to harm every acre of citrus if they were allowed to spread. They include huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening; Asian citrus psyllid; citrus canker; citrus black spot; and sweet orange scab.

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Report Signs of Citrus Disease

If you think you’ve seen signs of this disease or pest, immediately report your findings to a State Plant Health Director.

Controlling Citrus Disease

We collaborate with State departments of agriculture and the citrus industry to safeguard the American citrus industry. The goals of our Citrus Health Response Program (CHRP) are to sustain the U.S. citrus industry, maintain grower access to export markets, and safeguard citrus-producing areas against exotic citrus diseases and pests.

To achieve these goals, we perform multi-pest surveys in commercial and residential citrus areas to identify early infestations of exotic citrus pests for eradication, and to ensure that quarantine boundaries accurately reflect infested areas. CHRP protects the American consumer’s access to domestically produced citrus fruit and nursery trees with regulations that limit the spread of pests to uninfested areas.

Quarantine Boundaries

Regulatory Information

The rutaceous leaves for consumption protocol provides standards and requirements for the interstate movement of rutaceous leaves for consumption from areas quarantined for citrus canker, huanglongbing, Asian citrus psyllid, sweet orange scab, and/or citrus black spot. All interstate movement of rutaceous leaves for consumption is prohibited unless the conditions are met.

The citrus nursery stock protocol provides standards and requirements for the interstate movement of citrus nursery stock from areas quarantined for citrus canker, huanglongbing, and/or Asian citrus psyllid. All interstate movement of citrus nursery stock is prohibited unless the conditions in the protocol are met.

The survey protocol for citrus nursery stock describes the rates of inspection, sampling, and testing required by the nursery stock protocol.

Alabama

Chad Wetzel, State Plant Health Director
Phone: 251-277-1532
Email: chad.w.wetzel@usda.gov

C. Landon Mehan, Plant Health Safeguarding Specialist
Phone: 251-395-6346
Email: charles.mehan@usda.gov 

Chalin Street, Plant Health Safeguarding Specialist Gulf Coast 
Phone: 251-331-3757
Email: chalin.b.street@usda.gov

Arizona

Michael Hennessey, Acting State Plant Health Director
Phone: 602-431-3209
Email: michael.hennessey@usda.gov 

Anthony Bocchino, Supervisory PPQ Field Operations
Phone: 602-431-3222
Email: anthony.j.bocchino@usda.gov

California 

Norm Mullaly, State Operations Coordinator
Phone: 279-300-5200 
Email: norm.mullaly@usda.gov

Helene Wright, State Plant Health Director 
Phone: 279-300-5200 
Email: helene.r.wright@usda.gov 

Florida

Paul Mears, Florida CHRP Coordinator 
Phone: 352-313-3046
Email: paul.mears@usda.gov

Richard Miranda, State Plant Health Director
Phone: 352-204-7525
Email: richard.miranda@usda.gov

James Walker, Assistant State Plant Health Director
Phone: 352-313-3045
Email: james.w.walker@usda.gov

Georgia

Philip A. Bailey, Supervisory PPQ Officer
Phone: 770-860-4025
Email: philip.a.bailey@usda.gov

Carl Lightfoot, State Plant Health Director
Phone: 770-860-4023
Email: carl.w.lightfoot@usda.gov

Guam and Hawaii

Lance Otsubo, Acting State Plant Health Director
Phone: 808-873-8961
Email: lance.s.otsubo@usda.gov 

Louisiana

Joe J. Bravata II, State Plant Health Director
Phone: 225-298-5425
Email: joseph.j.bravata@usda.gov

Regina Whitfield, CHRP Coordinator 
Phone: 504-487-0160
Email: regina.whitfield@usda.gov

Ann Weber, Baton Rouge Supervisor
Phone: 337-764-1324
Email: ann.m.weber@usda.gov 

Mississippi

Chad Wetzel, State Plant Health Director
Phone: 251-277-1532
Email: chad.w.wetzel@usda.gov

C. Landon Mehan, Plant Health Safeguarding Specialist
Phone: 251-395-6346
Email: charles.mehan@usda.gov 

Chalin Street, Plant Health Safeguarding Specialist Gulf Coast 
Phone: 251-331-3757
Email: chalin.b.street@usda.gov

Nevada

Peter Rockermann, State Plant Health Director
Phone: 775-484-0762
Email: peter.rockermann@usda.gov

Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands

Leyinska Wiscovitch, State Plant Health Director
Phone: 787-919-0585
Email: leyinska.wiscovitch@usda.gov

South Carolina 

Jeff Medlin, Acting State Plant Health Director 
Phone: 843-480-4334
Email: jeffery.medlin@usda.gov  

Texas

Stuart Kuehn, State Plant Health Director
Phone: 512-916-5241
Email: stuart.w.kuehn@usda.gov 

Mayra Klein, Officer in Charge CHRP
Phone: 956-205-7700
Email: mayra.klein@usda.gov

Assistant National Policy Manager

Dan Murphy, Assistant National Policy Manager
Phone: 775-221-9237
Email: daniel.m.murphy@usda.gov

National Policy Manager

Abby Stilwell, National Policy Manager
Phone: 919-323-6296
Email: abby.r.stilwell@usda.gov

Visit our Citrus Story Map to learn more about how you can help prevent the spread of citrus diseases as a citrus buyer, grower, or member of the general public.