FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2021-16
June 30, 2021To: State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials
Effective June 9, 2021, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) removed the Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine area in Lasara, Willacy County, Texas. On November 5, 2020, APHIS and TDA established a Mexfly quarantine in Lasara, Willacy County, Texas, and restricted interstate movement of regulated articles from this area to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States. This action was necessary after APHIS confirmed one mated female Mexfly from a trap in a mandarin tree in a residential area on November 5, 2020. Since that time, APHIS worked cooperatively with TDA to eradicate the transient Mexfly population through various control actions per program protocols. APHIS removed the quarantine area after three Mexfly life cycles elapsed with no additional detections in this area. The following website contains a description of all the current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/ff-quarantine. For additional information on the Mexfly quarantine area, please contact Fruit Fly National Policy Manager, Richard Johnson, at 301-851-2109. /s/Dr. Osama El-Lissy
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
