CDFA Extends Citrus Threat Prevention
Today, the California Department of Food and Agriculture extended the California Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program for an additional four years. The extension came after several public hearings and a comment period that confirmed overwhelming support for continuing the program among stakeholders.
The program was created by legislation in 2009, establishing a process for the self-assessment of citrus producers to support ongoing protection efforts against threats such as the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). ACP is a pest that spreads the bacteria causing huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, a fatal disease of citrus trees for which there is no cure. Producer assessments this year are expected to generate $15 million for the program.
“We are grateful to the citrus industry for its partnership in this program,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “We believe that working together gives us the best chance to protect commercial and residential citrus trees throughout California.”
The legislation authorizing the citrus program, AB 281 (De Leon), required the re-evaluation of the program this year. The legislation also requires the program to be reviewed in 2017, once again, with stakeholder input through a public process to determine its continuation.
ACP has been detected in nine California counties. Quarantines (existing and proposed) to help control its spread cover more than 45-thousand square miles. HLB was detected just once in California – last year on a single residential property in Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County.
