WASHINGTON — Effective May 11, 2021, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYS AGM) expanded the European cherry fruit fly (ECFF) quarantine to include all of Monroe County and Wayne County and a small portion of northwestern Ontario County, New York. With this expansion, the ECFF quarantine now includes all of Erie, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, and Wayne Counties. This quarantine expansion does not apply to the Cattaraugus, Tonawanda, and Tuscarora Indian Reservations. The 3,223 square mile quarantine contains approximately 1,396 acres of commercial cherry production. APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from this area.
During May to August 2020, APHIS and NYS AGM confirmed ECFF in traps placed on public and private lands in Erie, Monroe, Niagara, and Orleans Counties, New York, including areas outside of the 2020 quarantine boundary. In cooperation with NYS AGM, APHIS is responding to these detections with this expansion of the quarantine area. APHIS is working with NYS AGM to respond to these detections following program survey and regulatory protocols. This action is necessary to prevent the spread of ECFF to non-infested areas of the United States, while maintaining commercial cherry production and marketing within the state.
The following designated website reflects the expansion of this quarantine and contains a description of all the current federal fruit fly quarantine areas:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/ff-quarantine
For additional information on the European cherry fruit fly quarantine area, please contact Fruit Fly National Policy Manager, Richard Johnson, at 301-851-2109.
–Dr. Osama El-Lissy
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine
USDA APHIS
For more articles out of New York, click here.
