Effective September 11, 2026, the Department is expanding the citrus greening disease boundary in the Murrieta area of Riverside County and into San Diego County (grids 484, 499, and 510). A map of the expanded boundary can be found at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/citrus/pests_diseases/hlb/regulation.html.
Also effective September 11, 2026, the Department is expanding the Asian Citrus Psyllid Bulk Citrus Regional Quarantine Zone 6 in these areas to reflect the HLB quarantine boundary expansion. A map of the expanded boundary can be found at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/citrus/pests_diseases/acp/regulation.html.
Regulated articles and conditions for intrastate movement under the quarantine can be found at Title 3 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) section 3435 & 3439. Pursuant to 3 CCR § 3435 &3439, any interested party or local entity may appeal a quarantine area designation.
Process to Appeal the Expanded Boundary
The appeal must be submitted to the Department in writing and supported by clear and convincing evidence. The appeal must be filed no later than ten (10) working days from the date of this notification. During the pending of the appeal, the designated quarantine boundary under appeal shall remain in effect.
Mail Appeals to:CDFA – Citrus Division1220 N StreetSacramento, CA 95814
Electronic Notification of Boundary Changes
California Code of Regulation allows interested parties to be notified of quarantine area boundary changes, as well as the opportunity to submit quarantine boundary appeals. If interested in receiving notifications, please sign up for regulatory updates through the email notification at: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/CADFA/subscriber/new
For questions regarding the regulations or map, please email Raymond Niem (Raymond.Niem@cdfa.ca.gov) or call 916-274-6300. — Story contributed by the California Department of Food and Ag
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), is expanding the citrus greening (Huanglongbing; HLB) quarantined area in California. APHIS is adding one square mile to the Santa Paula quarantined area in Ventura County, which impacts 151.7 acres of commercial citrus. APHIS is adding 10 square miles to the quarantined area in Riverside and San Diego Counties, which impacts 121.5 acres of commercial citrus. This measure parallels the intrastate quarantine that CDFA established on July 15, 2026. APHIS is taking this action because plant tissue samples from residential properties tested positive for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the causal agent of HLB.
APHIS is applying safeguarding measures outlined in 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 301.76 through 301.76-11 and associated Federal Orders that govern interstate movement of regulated articles from the quarantined areas. This action helps prevent HLB from spreading to areas that are not currently infested.
Effective July 29, the Department is expanding the HLB quarantine boundary in the Fallbrook and Rainbow areas of San Diego County and into Riverside County (grids 499 and 500). A map of the expanded boundary can be found at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/citrus/pests_diseases/hlb/regulation.html.
Also effective July 29, the Department is expanding the Asian Citrus Psyllid Bulk Citrus Regional Quarantine Zone 6 in the both areas to reflect the HLB quarantine boundary expansion. A map of the expanded boundary can be found at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/citrus/pests_diseases/acp/regulation.html.
Regulated articles and conditions for intrastate movement under the quarantine can be found at Title 3 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) section 3435 & 3439. Pursuant to 3 CCR § 3435 &3439, any interested party or local entity may appeal a quarantine area designation.
Process to Appeal the Expanded Boundary
The appeal must be submitted to the Department in writing and supported by clear and convincing evidence. The appeal must be filed no later than ten (10) working days from the date of this notification. During the pending of the appeal, the designated quarantine boundary under appeal shall remain in effect.
Mail Appeals to: CDFA — Citrus Division 1220 N Street Sacramento, CA 95814
Electronic Notification of Boundary Changes
California Code of Regulation allows interested parties to be notified of quarantine area boundary changes, as well as the opportunity to submit quarantine boundary appeals. If interested in receiving notifications, please sign up for regulatory updates through the email notification at: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/CADFA/subscriber/new
For questions regarding the regulations or map, email Raymond Niem (Raymond.Niem@cdfa.ca.gov) or call 916.274.6300.
— Story contributed to the California Department of Food and Agriculture
California Citrus Mutual (CCM) and Citrus Research Board (CRB) voiced support for the House Committee on Appropriations for including additional funds in the FY 2027 Agriculture Appropriations bill for the citrus breeding program in Parlier.
Congress is allocating an additional $500,000 in federal funding, on top of the $1.5 million previously granted, to expand the program into California. If approved, the program will receive $2 million in federal funds annually, in addition to the funding it receives from CRB.
“CRB was instrumental in developing the concept for the California-based program and was also involved in efforts to establish the nationwide program, while CCM advocated to secure funding,” said CRB President Marcy Martin. “Our two organizations working together on behalf of the industry have been instrumental in getting this program off the ground.”
“I would like to thank our Appropriators and Committee leadership for their continued support of this vital program,” said CCM Director of Governmental Affairs Jacob Villagomez. “Finding solutions for California-specific growing patterns is an essential tool in fighting HLB for years to come.”
The California citrus breeding program will focus on fresh market citrus. Funding will go towards research and development of citrus selections suited to California growing regions, changing climatic pressures, consumer taste preferences and resistance to pests and diseases, such as huanglongbing.
The California program is an expansion of the existing national USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) citrus breeding program located in Fort Pierce, Florida, which is focused primarily on varieties optimized for Florida growing conditions. Work done through the Florida program has resulted in new varieties with higher yields, increased disease resistance, improved color, and a longer shelf life.
The Florida and California breeding programs, along with the continued support from the University of California citrus breeding program at UC Riverside, will work together to deliver results for California-based growers.
The California citrus breeding program is located at the USDA ARS field station in Parlier. Thanks to ongoing appropriations commitment, forward progress continues to be made with the addition of a dedicated scientist, completion of a greenhouse, and future plans for laboratory and office space, and hopefully securing additional ground for further expansion.
— Story contributed by California Citrus Mutual and Citrus Research Board
Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), is expanding the area quarantined for citrus greening (Huanglongbing), caused by the Asian citrus psyllid, in California. APHIS is establishing a new quarantined area in the Ramona area of San Diego County of 93 square miles and is expanding the quarantined area in the Loma Linda area of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties by 26 square miles. These measures parallel the intrastate quarantines that CDFA established on March 2, and March 6, 2026, respectively. APHIS is taking this action because of citrus greening detections in plant tissue samples collected from residential properties. There are 25.16 acres of commercial citrus impacted by the new Ramona quarantine and 411.47 acres of commercial citrus impacted by the Loma Linda area expansion.
APHIS is applying safeguarding measures outlined in 7 CFR 301.76 and Federal Orders pertaining to the interstate movement of regulated articles from the quarantined areas in California. This action is necessary to prevent the spread of citrus greening to non-infested areas of the United States.
The APHIS Citrus Greening webpage contains specific changes to the quarantined areas in California. APHIS will publish a notice of this change in the Federal Register.
To understand consumers’ attitudes toward a bioengineered pesticide for citrus crops, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources researchers are asking for volunteers to participate in focus groups in Riverside, Oakland and Fresno.
Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, is a naturally occurring bacterium being tested to control the spread of Asian citrus psyllid, the small insect that transmits the disease huanglongbing to citrus trees. Both the Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing have been found in Southern California backyard citrus trees and threaten to spread throughout the state.
Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening disease, is a bacterial infection that stunts citrus trees, reduces their fruit production, deforms and greens the fruit and eventually kills the tree. There is no known cure or effective control.
The disease has already devastated Florida’s citrus industry, slashing the state’s orange production by 92% between 2005 and 2025, according to Karen Jetter, associate director and project economist at the UC ANR Policy Institute. By the time the magnitude of the problem was revealed, both Asian citrus psyllid, or ACP, and huanglongbing were widespread in Florida.
“In California, we still have the opportunity to slow the spread of huanglongbing through ACP management,” Jetter said.“This unique technology is designed to be part of a comprehensive ACP management program, not to replace it.”
Jetter and Fiona Ogunkoya, survey researcher at the UC ANR Policy Institute, are conducting focus groups to assess consumer attitudes toward an engineered Bt pest control method that targets Asian citrus psyllids, the primary vector of the disease, to stop the spread of huanglongbing.
The bioengineered pest control strategy, developed in Florida and shown to be effective, uses an engineered citrus tristeza virus to transmit an engineered Bacillus thuringiensis to citrus trees. The Asian citrus psyllid lays eggs on the tender new leaf growth of the trees. After the nymphs hatch, the immature insects consume the modified Bt-infected leaves, become sick and die.
California citrus growers surveyed by Sandipa Gautam, UC Cooperative Extension integrated pest management citrus advisor, said they are interested in the approach. But they growers are concerned that consumers will not accept fruit grown with this new bioengineered insecticide.
To find out what consumers think, the researchers will meet with three focus groups, with each session limited to six to eight people to allow all participants time to express their thoughts.
The 90-minute focus group meetings will be held at UC Cooperative Extension offices in Riverside on March 30 at 6 p.m., in Oakland on April 6 at 2 p.m. and in Fresno on April 8 at 2 p.m. Pizza will be served.
To participate in a focus group, register for a session at https://forms.gle/QPyUd7QazTLfNdATA. To be eligible, participants must be 18 years of age or older and able to attend the focus group in person. — By UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
The Asian citrus psyllid is an active threat for growers and the main vector for Huanglongbing disease. These invasive insects have wreaked havoc in Florida and spread to Southern California, but researchers at UC Riverside are finding ways to counter them. Matthew Malcolm from Malcolm Media Ag Publishing interviewed Bodil Cass at the World Ag Expo to discuss the use of predators against psyllids. Watch this quick video and read more in California Fruit & Vegetable Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Simplot for their industry support.
A much-anticipated research project on the deadly citrus disease huanglongbing, commonly referred to as “citrus greening” is coming to fruition, marked by the start of another harvest of a key citrus grove in Fort Pierce.
Harvest on the Millennium Block project, a seven-year University of Florida research project is underway, and researchers will use the data collected from fruit harvested from 2022 to 2026 to analyze how much these potential solutions offer farmers hope against citrus greening, with results expected later this year.
The damaging crop disease has decimated Florida orange and grapefruit groves, reducing production across all citrus-growing regions, reaching over 80% of the state’s citrus, and the Millennium Block was envisioned as a place where bold risks could be taken in the fight against citrus greening. The Millennium Block, which was planted at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Science’s (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), in 2019, is now a 5,000-tree research project with trees that were bred to be tolerant to citrus greening, said Flavia Zambon, assistant professor of citrus production at UF/IFAS IRREC.
Citrus greening remains one of the most destructive challenges facing Florida’s citrus industry. Spread by a tiny bug called a psyllid, the bacterium that causes the disease attacks trees from the inside out, reducing fruit quality, yield and ultimately killing entire groves. Infected trees produce smaller, misshapen and bitter, green fruit – if they produce any at all. The disease spreads quickly through the flying insects, making containment difficult once a grove is infected.
“Citrus greening is a fundamental threat to the Florida citrus industry, and we’re eager to see the results of this long-awaited research trial to see what options we can suggest for farmers for greening-tolerant citrus varieties,” Zambon said.
The Millennium Block includes various citrus varieties in four research trials, one including 18 grapefruits and three commercial rootstocks, and the other three with 32 rootstocks grafted with Ray Ruby grapefruit, Glenn Navel sweet orange and UF-950 mandarin.
Harvest will continue through early February, and citrus will be pulled and juiced to be tested for physical marketable qualities, such as size, and juice quality attributes, such as sugar concentration and acidity, which affect the price that growers can expect to receive for their fruit.
“There are all these attributes that need to be in balance for both growers and consumers,” Zambon said.
In addition, they will evaluate the amount of market-quality citrus grown, both by the amount of fruit and by the total weight.
Researchers also used drones to evaluate the health of the Millennium Block’s trees and to see if there is a correlation between canopy size and the amount of fruit it produced – another potential predictive tool for farmers.
Harvest of the citrus fields at the Millennium Block at UF/IFAS has begun, and the fruit and juice from the harvest will be evaluated for their marketable qualities. Photo Credit: UF/IFAS, Joe McQueen.
ABOUT UF/IFAS The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
Harvest of the citrus fields at the Millennium Block at UF/IFAS has begun, and the fruit and juice from the harvest will be evaluated for their marketable qualities. Photo Credit: UF/IFAS, Joe McQueen.
Ants are known to interfere with biological control of key citrus pests because they feast upon the sugary honeydew produced by small insects. One of these key pests is the invasive asian citrus psyllid that vectors the deadly huanglongbing citrus disease. As California growers diligently work to keep this disease out of citrus orchards, effective ant management is a critical component in the game plan. Ivan Milosavljevic from the California Citrus Research Board met with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network to discuss some new game-changing control strategies. Watch this brief interview and read more about it in California Fruit & Vegetable Magazine.
Huanglongbing (HLB), the deadly citrus disease that decimated the Florida citrus industry has shown up in Southern California and is now threatening the nation’s number one citrus state. HLB is primarily spread by the invasive Asian Citrus Psyllid, so managing this insect is key to preventing the spread of the disease. Pest mitigation practices may be costly, the California Citrus Research Board (CRB) introduced the California Citrus Research and Field Trials program (CA-CRaFT) to help fund commercial growers (both conventional and organic) to implement these practices. CRB representative Ivan Milosavljevic met with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network to share details. Watch this brief interview and read more in California Fruit & Vegetable Magazine.
