PROTECTING CITRUS TREES BY CREATING THE "HELP US SAVE OUR CITRUS" PROGRAM

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

Citrus in the Southern California area, particularly in the Inland Empire, has extensive historical roots reaching back over one hundred years and is an active and thriving agricultural industry. This industry is now threatened by a fatal and untreatable citrus tree disease called Huanglongbing (HLB) which is spread by an insect called the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP). The San Bernardino County Department of Agriculture / Weights & Measures (Department) has taken an active role to limit the spread of this tiny insect which transmits HLB while feeding on citrus plants. The States of Florida and Texas have already lost a significant portion of their citrus to this disease. Since there is no known cure for HLB, worldwide control measures focus on disease prevention, achieved by reducing overall ACP populations. While individual Counties have limited authority in the area of pesticide treatments, they do have the authority to abate neglected or abandoned crops, thereby limiting available untreated host plants. By canvassing major citrus growing areas, the Department identified many abandoned or neglected citrus properties that were a known harborage of the ACP and worked with these property owners to abate the nuisance. The Department knew that other problem citrus properties that needed attention were being missed, however, so in partnership with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the Department reached out to the public for assistance through various campaigns. This included adding a link titled “Help Us Save Our Citrus” to the Department's website where any concerned group or individual could report possible abandoned/neglected citrus groves. To date, citrus grove properties covering over 239 acres have been identified and all of the property owners have either removed their citrus trees or have begun pesticide treatments on an effective schedule to control the ACP population on their property.