The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced June 30 it was immediately expanding the area quarantined for citrus canker in Texas. The agency added portions of Cameron County near San Benito and Brownsville to prevent the spread of the disease.
APHIS confirmed the positive identification of citrus canker in two residential trees in San Benito on Oct. 1, 2019. On Nov. 27, 2019, APHIS confirmed the positive identification of the disease in one residential citrus tree in Brownsville. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) completed delimiting surveys around the locations and found additional citrus trees positive for the disease in the Brownsville area. TDA established an intrastate quarantine area that parallels federal regulatory requirements.
Under the current quarantine regulations, the interstate movement of citrus plants and plant parts, other than commercially packed and disinfected citrus fruit, remains prohibited. Citrus nursery stock that is moved in accordance with regulations may move from quarantined areas.
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