The California Department of Food and Agriculture, with the USDA and the Santa Clara County agricultural commissioner, ended the Oriental fruit fly quarantine in Santa Clara County following the eradication of the invasive pest.
This declaration comes nearly nine months after officials first detected populations of the Oriental fruit fly in the area and established a quarantine encompassing parts of Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, San Jose, Milpitas, Mountain View, Saratoga and Campbell.
“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,” Victoria Hornbaker, director of CDFA’s plant health and pest prevention services division, said in a news release. “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.”
During the quarantine, crops that are hosts for the invasive pest — which include more than 300 varieties, such as citrus and other fruits, nuts, vegetables and berries — were not allowed to be moved from the properties where they were grown. Commercial crops were required to meet stringent treatment or processing standards before being harvested or moved.
While the Santa Clara County quarantine area has been lifted, there are currently six other active fruit fly quarantines in California, the release said. To learn more about the quarantines, visit CaFruitFly.com.
