California Fruit and Vegetable

Tag: California Department of Food and Agriculture

  • CDFA Expands Sweet Orange Scab Quarantine in La Puente

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announced it is expanding its sweet orange scab (SOS) quarantine in the La Puente area of Los Angeles County (grids 456 and 457). The quarantine is effective as of April 8.

    SOS is believed to be caused by Elsinöe australis, a fungal pathogen. The disease results in the formation of pustules and lesions on the skin of the citrus.

    Regulated articles and conditions for intrastate movement under the quarantine can be found at Title 3 of the California Code of Regulations section 3443. Interested parties and local entities may request to lift the quarantine area designations by submitting a written appeal supported by convincing evidence. Appeals must be filed within 10 working days of the notification. Quarantines will remain in effect during the appeal’s pending. Appeals can be mailed to: CDFA – Citrus Division 1220 N. St. Sacramento, CA 95814.

    Growers can sign up for regulatory updates at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/CADFA/subscriber/new. For questions regarding the regulations or map, reach out to Raymond Niem at Raymond.niem@cdfa.gov or call 916-274-6300

  • Farm Labor Contractors ACP Citrus Harvest Compliance Agreements Due June 15

    Announced by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD), the CDFA’s Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) quarantine program now requires all harvesters/farm labor contractors (FLCs) – referring to any person/establishment who employs people to perform work related to grove management and/or harvesting commercial citrus fruit – to have a valid compliance agreement to harvest citrus groves.
    FLCs will have until June 15, 2023 to obtain and sign a compliance agreement. Any FLCs operating in citrus groves without a compliance agreement by the June 15th deadline will be in violation of quarantine requirements.
    Compliance agreements can be provided to you by directly reaching out to your local CDFA ACP/HLB Program contact. Completed compliance agreements can be returned to CDFA via local regulatory staff or by email to ACPCompliance@cdfa.ca.gov. Contact details by region can be found below:

    Los Angeles/Orange Counties – Stephanie Fragoso 
    Stephanie.Fragoso@cdfa.ca.gov
    Phone: 323-576-2762

    Riverside/San Bernardino Counties – Christina Huggins
    Christina.Huggins@cdfa.ca.gov
    Phone: 951-880-9447

    San Diego/Imperial Counties – Jemellee Urbino
    Jemellee.Urbino@cdfa.ca.gov
    Phone: 619-698-0211

    San Joaquin Valley – Lea Pereira
    Lea.Pereira@cdfa.ca.gov
    Phone: 559-625-1040

    Ventura County/Central Coast – Nathan Rosenblum
    Nathan.Rosenblum@cdfa.ca.gov
    Phone: 805-437-8726

    CDFA Sacramento HQ
    ACPCompliance@cdfa.ca.gov
    Phone: 916-274-6300