USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will use more than $100 million in emergency funding to increase response efforts to address known outbreaks of Exotic Fruit Flies in California and preventive activities in other susceptible areas in the United States.

Emergency funds of $103.5 million awarded from the Commodity Credit Corporation will be applied to address known outbreaks of fruit flies in California and increase preventive activities in other susceptible areas in the United States. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack approved the transfer of $213.3 million in total to address support emergency response efforts domestically and internationally to protect fruit, vegetable and livestock industries and producers.

Funds will also be applied to address the increasing numbers of fruit fly incursions in areas of Guatemala and Mexico, where APHIS and cooperators maintain a buffer against northward spread of the Mediterranean fruit fly.

Read press release here.

Image USDA.