Citrus Quarantine Program (CQP)
The department’s Citrus Quarantine Program (CQP) supports and promotes the local citrus industry by enforcing Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) and Huanglongbing (HLB) quarantine regulations. Inspections conducted by CQP inspectors ensure compliance in order to suppress the movement of ACP and therefore mitigate the potential spread of HLB.
***New Announcement for Commercial Citrus Growers and Residential Growers of Citrus***
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have confirmed the first detection of the citrus disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB) in the City of San Diego and the second detection in the county.
The County of San Diego Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures (AWM) helps protect California citrus by ensuring consumers, home gardeners, and agricultural producers comply with laws and regulations, including quarantines, to prevent entry and limit the spread of pests and plant diseases in the county.
HLB is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) a tiny insect that may transmit the bacteria from citrus tree to citrus tree as they feed on new growth. The bacteria cause HLB, deadly to citrus and has no cure, but not harmful to other plants, animals, or people.
Rancho Bernardo
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The disease was detected in a plant material sample from one lime tree, collected during a routine state survey for HLB.
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CDFA crews will treat and remove the infected tree and are preparing to conduct mandatory surveying and treatment of residential host plants within 250-meters of the find site. Taking these steps will remove a critical reservoir of the disease and vectors that can spread the disease, an essential tactic in protecting nearby citrus.
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Any plant samples positive for HLB enact a 60-square mile quarantine area. An HLB detection in any property (commercial or residential) initiates additional requirements.
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Commercial citrus operations (growers, packers, shippers, transporters, and fruit sellers) within the quarantine area will need an HLB Compliance Agreement issued by CDFA, and must follow Spray and Harvest procedures to move citrus fruit.
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Visit CitrusInsider and CaliforniaCitrusThreat for more information.
Information for Residents
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Now more than ever, we need help from the community to cooperate with agriculture officials and inspect their own trees for signs of HLB and ACP.
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HLB infected trees need to be removed to protect other trees, the community’s citrus, and the state’s vibrant commercial citrus industry. If you have citrus that is not cared for, remove it in order to prevent it from becoming a reservoir for the bacteria that causes HLB.
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Residential citrus tree owners in the quarantine are restricted from moving citrus fruit off their property.
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HLB symptoms: blotchy yellowing of leaves, yellow shoots, lopsided, small, and rancid-tasting fruit, and premature, excessive fruit drop.
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If you notice symptoms on your citrus trees or would like more information, please contact the CDFA Report-a-Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899.
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Visit CaliforniaCitrusThreat for more information.
Information for Industry Members
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We all must work together in the fight to save California citrus from the Asian citrus psyllid and Huanglongbing (HLB), which has been found in residential areas of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties.
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This detection results in the establishment of an HLB quarantine area with a five-mile radius around the find site. The quarantine prohibits the sale of all outdoor grown host nursery stock and the movement of all host plants.
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This detection will also require any citrus fruit grown in the quarantine area to undergo additional mitigation steps prior to being transported within or from the quarantine. The quarantine applies to residents and commercial operations alike. Visit CitrusInsider’s Map and Quarantines page for more details.
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All citrus growers, packers, shippers and transporters in the county must have an ACP Compliance Agreement from AWM to move any citrus fruit (contact CQP.AWM@sdcounty.ca.gov).
- Commercial citrus growers may contact San Diego County Citrus Pest Control District at 951-334-7611 or CDFA Grower Liaison Sandra Zwaal at szwaal2@gmail.com for more information.
- The interactive citrus quarantine map can be used to determine if you are inside the quarantine:
Oceanside Quarantine Information
Videos
Learn how to support the HLB fight as a citrus hobbyist at FruitMentor’s Youtube page (links below)
Dangers of Moving Citrus Fruit in California (Vietnamese)
English / Español / Tiếng Việt / 한국어 / 普通话 / 粵語
The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program (CPDPP) Released a
new 30-second Public Service Announcement (PSA), “What If California
Citrus Disappeared?”
California Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee (CPDPC)
endorses “Best Practices for Growers in Response to HLB in California.”
To provide California citrus growers with a strong toolbox of
options to protect their orchards from Huanglongbing (HLB), the Citrus
Pest & Disease Prevention Committee has endorsed the following
“Best Practices for Growers in Response to HLB in California.” The
recommendations – which are grouped based on a grower’s proximity to
an HLB detection – represent the most effective tools known to the
citrus industry at this time and are meant to supplement the
California Department of Food and Agriculture’s required regulatory
response.
Growers are encouraged to use as many methods
as feasible for their operation in order to limit the spread of the
Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and HLB, as the cost to manage the Asian
citrus psyllid is far less than any potential costs or loss to the
industry should HLB take hold throughout our state.
Please visit CitrusInsider.org for more information.
Huanglongbing (HLB) Sampling for Growers
HLB Sample Collection and Submission Protocol
Citrus Pest Detection Program (CPDP) Services
The following are links that are provided to assist both homeowners and industry members alike.
Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program (CPDPP)
Homeowner Oriented: https://californiacitrusthreat.org/
Industry Oriented: https://citrusinsider.org/
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) ACP Information
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/acp/
CDFA Notice of Treatment (NOT) Information
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/acp/treatment_maps.html#maps
CDFA currently coordinates areawide treatments for ACP present in San Diego county when no other mitigation methods are available. CDFA posts Notices of Treatment (NOTs) at least 48 hours in advance of any treatment. To view NOTs for San Diego county, please click here.
United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Citrus Information
Contact Information
Residents can contact the San Diego County Dept. of Agriculture, Weights & Measures’
Citrus Quarantine Program at CQP.AWM@sdcounty.ca.gov or by calling (858) 614-7770 for more information.
Commercial Growers can also contact the San Diego County
Grower Liaison, Sandra Zwaal, at szwaal2@gmail.com for more information.
Email labs.awm@sdcounty.ca.gov (Please put “Entomology” in the subject line to ensure timely routing) or call (858) 614-7738 for more information.
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