European Grapevine Moth Program receives award

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently presented the APHIS Administrator’s Award to the Cooperative European Grapevine Moth (EGVM) Program. This award recognizes collaboration, creativity, and outstanding contributions to the APHIS mission of protecting America’s agriculture.

The EGVM Program received the award for successfully preventing the establishment of the European Grapevine Moth through science and regulatory-based initiatives resulting in the protection of the $5.7 billion grape and tree fruit industry in California. The EGVM is an invasive species that targets grapes and tree fruit, among other plants.

The EGVM Program brought together representatives from APHIS, Natural Resource Conservation Service, California Department of Food and Agriculture, University of California, Fresno County and industry stakeholders, including the California Table Grape Commission. Kathleen Nave, president of the commission said, “The table grape industry is grateful for the work of the county, state, and federal regulatory agencies in coordinating development and implementation of science-based protocols that allowed shipments to continue during quarantine and eventually resulted in the four county eradication of a dangerous pest.” All those involved received awards, including the commission, California Grape and Tree Fruit League, Consolidated Central Valley Table Grape Pest and Disease Control District, County of Fresno and numerous other regulatory bodies and industry organizations.

In early 2012, APHIS declared eradication of the EGVM in four affected California counties, allowing for unrestricted movement of grapes and other host commodities from those areas, which had been regulated since 2010.

For more information:
Jeff Klitz
California Table Grape Commission
Tel: +1 559 447 8350
Fax: +1 559 447 9184
[email protected]
www.grapesfromcalifornia.com