APHIS expands huanglongbing quarantine areas in California

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says it has expanded the quarantine area in California for huanglongbing, also known as HLB or citrus greening.

Huanglongbing is a devastating disease to citrus fruit, spread by the invasive Asian citrus psyllid. APHIS said it found HLB in plant tissue samples collected during routine samples in the state.

The new quarantine includes portions of Los Angeles, San Diego and Ventura counties, according to a news release.

APHIS said this quarantine includes 86 square miles in the Valley Center area of San Diego County, which includes 1,756 acres of commercial citrus. The quarantine includes the Azusa and San Gabriel areas in Los Angeles County and expands the Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties quarantine and includes 2,222 acres of commercial citrus, according to the release. APHIS said it also expanded the Santa Paula quarantine in Ventura County, which includes 8,707 acres of commercial citrus.

APHIS said it enacted the measures to prevent the spread of HLB to non-infested areas of the country and state.