Agricultural officials recently expanded the areas in California quarantined for citrus greening disease [also known as huanglongbing (HLB)], which is spread by Asian citrus psyllids. The quarantined area in Orange and Riverside counties was increased by a total of approximately 31 square miles. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) took this action.

The quarantine expansions were made because of citrus greening detections in plant tissue samples collected from residential properties in Orange and Riverside counties. There are approximately 3 acres of commercial citrus in Riverside County impacted by this expansion.

USDA APHIS is applying safeguarding measures on the interstate movement of regulated articles from the quarantined areas in California. These measures parallel the intrastate quarantines that CDFA established on Oct. 22. This action is necessary to prevent the spread of citrus greening to non?infested areas of the United States.

The specific changes to the quarantined areas in California can be found on the APHIS Citrus Greening and Asian Citrus Psyllid website. USDA APHIS will publish a notice of this change in the Federal Register.

Additional information may be obtained from USDA APHIS National Policy Manager Abby R. Stilwell (abby.r.stilwell@usda.gov or 919-323?6296), or from Assistant National Policy Manager Daniel Murphy (daniel.m.murphy@usda.gov or 775-221-9237).

Learn about other HLB quarantine expansions in California earlier this year.