The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Santa Clara Agricultural Commissioner, ended the Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantine in Santa Clara County following the eradication of the invasive pest.
The quarantine was put in place nearly nine months ago in parts of Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, San Jose, Milpitas, Mountain View, Saratoga, Campbell and Los Altos. During the quarantine, host crops, including citrus and other fruits, nuts, vegetables and berries were not allowed to be moved and commercial crops were required to meet stringent treatment or processing standards.
Invasive fruit fly quarantines are still in effect in California, including:
- Oriental fruit fly: Contra Costa, Riverside, Sacramento and San Bernardino Counties
- Mediterranean fruit fly: Los Angeles County
- Tau fruit fly: Los Angeles County
- Queensland fruit fly: Los Angeles and Ventura Counties
According to a CDFA press release:
“Thanks to the responsiveness and cooperation of Santa Clara’s residents, and our partners at the Santa Clara County Division of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture, we were able to quickly and safely eradicate this infestation of the Oriental fruit fly,” said Victoria Hornbaker, Director of CDFA’s Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services Division. “As with so many invasive species, when we can detect infestations early and respond promptly, we stand the best chance of protecting our backyard fruits and vegetables and ultimately safeguarding California’s agricultural heritage.”
Although the Santa Clara County quarantine is over, the CDFA is still urging residents and industry members across California to remain vigilant for signs of invasive pests to help prevent any future introductions of invasive species. There are currently six other active fruit fly quarantines in California.
For a link to our Exotic fruit flies resources page, click here.
