USDA and CDFA Eradicate Invasive Fruit Flies from California

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USDA and CDFA Declare California Free of Invasive Fruit Flies

Friday, September 13, 2024

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announced that they have eradicated all populations of invasive fruit flies from California.
“Invasive fruit flies are among the most destructive and costly pests globally, threatening more than 400 species of fruits and vegetables, including many of California’s most valuable crops such as oranges, grapes, mangoes, blueberries, and tomatoes,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny L. Moffitt. “The eradication of these pests marks a major victory for California’s agricultural economy.”
The joint eradication effort addressed infestations from five introduced species: Oriental (Bactrocera dorsalis), Tau (Zeugodacus tau), Queensland (Bactrocera tryoni), Mexican (Anastrepha ludens) and Mediterranean (Ceratitis capitata) fruit flies. According to the USDA press release, the 2023 invasive fruit fly outbreak was unprecedented, and was the worst in CDFA’s 100-year history.
APHIS deployed hundreds of employees to join forces with CDFA and the agricultural commissioners for trapping, fruit removal, and survey activities. Eradication strategies included the release of sterile Mediterranean and Mexican fruit flies to disrupt the reproduction of these invasive species.