'There's multiple layers of environmental damage, food damage, economic damage, and export damage,' Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner Joe Deviney told ABC7 News.
California Agriculture officials launched an emergency action, targeting Oriental fruit flies in San Jose in order to protect the local harvest.The California Department of Food and Agriculture will launch emergency action to eradicate Oriental fruit flies found in San Jose. The department has declared the insects a significant threat to the natural environment, agriculture and economy of California.
"There's multiple layers of environmental damage, food damage, economic damage, and export damage," Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner Joe Deviney told ABC7 News.Treatment to target the species, which is native to Asia, begins on Saturday.Officials want to prevent a widespread infestation that could potentially impact California's $50 billion ag industry.
"We supply the world with fruits and vegetables. But those other countries would say, 'Hold up. We don't want that anymore. You guys got a problem. Don't ship us your infestation, please,'" Deviney said.Deviney explained the fly is a pest to more than 230 kinds of fruit and vegetables. Among the list of valuable crops are California's avocados, apples, persimmon, stone and citrus fruits and more.
"We had to basically lock that area down for fruit movement. We don't want any of the fruit moving out because that would possibly spread the fly, and then we also immediately connected with all the businesses who sell fruit or have fruit trees, or farmers markets and we got those all into compliance," Deviney said.
"We successfully eradicated that whole infestation. Hooray," he added. "Boom! We are finding more this year. So, there's obviously a pathway, because this insect does not occur in the United States."In this new response, officials will target two sites in San Jose where two male Oriental fruit flies were trapped last month. Workers will squirt a small patch of attractant, mixed with organic pesticide on street trees and similar surfaces.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Bay Area heat wave: 3 great hikes that are shady or coolWe offer 3 hikes — near Santa Cruz, at Point Reyes and near Berkeley — that offer escape from the sun, cool ocean breezes, or both.
Read more »
Montgomery Hyundai plant to make electric cars earlier than expectedHyundai originally planned to start production of its hybrid Santa Fe model in October, but now production is expected this month.
Read more »
Vikings may not have been blonde, or ScandinavianYasemin is a staff writer at Live Science, covering health, neuroscience and biology. Her work has appeared in Scientific American, Science and the San Jose Mercury News. She has a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Connecticut and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Read more »
Conception boat fire: Judge tosses manslaughter charge in boat fire that killed 34The ruling came on the third anniversary of one of the deadliest maritime disasters in recent U.S. history as the Conception went down in flames near an island off the coast of Santa Barbara.
Read more »