staff photo Aric Crabb 4/5/06 An orange tree in the yard of Deb McKay's Castro Valley home.
By Olivia Wynkoop | Bay City News Foundation
Local agriculture officials are seeking out state assistance in responding to the presence of Asian Citrus Psyllid, a pest known for spreading a detrimental disease to citrus trees.
On Thursday, Sonoma County Department of Agriculture representatives said they found the pest in a survey trap in a residential area east of Sonoma.
“Discovery of this pest in Sonoma County is serious and warrants a rapid and coordinated response, including cooperation from nurseries and farmers markets to temporarily regulate the movement of fruit and nursery stock,” said Andrew Smith, Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner. “While the pest has been encountered in Southern California citrus and there are numerous counties under quarantine, the associated disease has been limited in detection and spread due to early detection programs like in Sonoma County, as well as the concerted and collaborative efforts of property owners and local, state and federal agency partners.”
Their presence does not threaten Sonoma County’s entire agriculture industry, including the wine industry, said agriculture officials. Those most impacted will be county nurseries, farmers markets and producers that sell and move citrus.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture began an insecticide treatment program in December to eight volunteering properties in the county.
Originally published at Bay City News Foundation