Brienne German (301) 734-7253
Angela Harless (202) 720-4623
USDA EXPANDS CITRUS GREENING AND ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID QUARANTINE
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2007--The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued a federal order today that expands the citrus greening quarantine zone in Florida and significantly increases the number of states and territories quarantined due to the presence of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). The ACP is a serious citrus pest, as well as the main vector of citrus greening.
These actions, which expand upon the May 3, 2006, federal order, are necessary to prevent the spread of citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing, which was first identified in the United States in Florida in 2005. Citrus greening does not pose a risk to people, but the bacterial disease causes fruit from infected trees to become unmarketable and can also cause tree death. Once infected, there is no cure for a tree with citrus greening.
The citrus greening quarantine in Florida affects 28 counties where the disease has been confirmed and restricts the movement of all live host plants and host plant parts from those counties. The interstate movement of citrus fruit is not restricted; however, under Florida’s citrus canker quarantine, fresh citrus fruit must meet specified requirements and cannot be shipped to any citrus-producing states or territories.
APHIS may allow the interstate movement of restricted nursery stock if scientific evidence demonstrates that the plants can be handled in a way that prevents the risk of spreading citrus greening. Until these requirements are established, nursery stock can only be moved interstate for immediate export accompanied by a limited permit that prevents distribution to any citrus-producing states or territories.
Due to the presence of ACP, the federal order expansion includes the entire state of Florida along with Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and 32 counties in Texas. Previously only portions of Florida were quarantined due to the presence of the ACP. Although the ACP has been detected in these areas, citrus greening has not been found anywhere in the United States except Florida.
In order for ACP-host material to be shipped from these quarantine areas, it must be treated, inspected and stamped with a limited permit. In addition, anyone engaged in the business of growing or handling citrus must enter into a compliance agreement with APHIS.
Under the federal order, Florida, which is partially quarantined for citrus greening, and Texas, which is partially quarantined for the ACP, must restrict the intrastate movement of regulated materials to ensure that citrus greening won’t spread to additional Florida counties and
that the ACP won’t spread to additional Texas counties. These restrictions must be established by Dec. 1, 2007, or APHIS will impose state-wide restrictions.
The federal order can be found on our Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/citrus_
greening/index.shtml. An interim rule is anticipated to be enacted in 2008 detailing the new requirements.
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