Author Topic: This Is How Agricultural Disasters Happen  (Read 1681 times)

Millet

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This Is How Agricultural Disasters Happen
« on: July 28, 2017, 03:01:31 PM »
 Officials at DFW (Dallas Fort Worth)International Airport seized fresh curry leaves that were carrying a pest known to have caused billions of dollars worth of lost revenue to the U.S. citrus industry.  The passenger was traveling from Vietnam to DFW on July 19 when she declared fish in her luggage. But Gadget, a dog trained to sniff out agricultural items that may have unwanted pests, smelled something else, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.   The passenger was carrying 5.5 ounces of fresh curry leaves, a restricted item because of its tendency to harbor pests. Hiding in the leaves was the Asian citrus psyllid.

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/business/2017/07/28/pest-responsible-destructive-citrus-disease-found-luggage-dfw-airport
« Last Edit: July 28, 2017, 03:08:27 PM by Millet »

Chupa King

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Re: This Is How Agricultural Disasters Happen
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2017, 04:04:55 PM »
Yeah. Sort of like the Banana Bunchy Top here. There are some people who have infected banana that simply just don't care. Sucks for the ones who don't want anything to do with that.
Biodiversity is key.

Susanne42

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Re: This Is How Agricultural Disasters Happen
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2017, 06:19:10 PM »
In my younger years I did not understand the fuss about restriction of some goods. Today I do. I wish there would be more public awareness about the danger of importing plants and wildlife.

brian

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Re: This Is How Agricultural Disasters Happen
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2017, 07:08:41 PM »
I'm honestly surprised that  agricultural controls work at all.   With so many opportunities to let diseases in it seems inevitable that they will spread because 100% inspection isn't feasible.  Good to see we are holding the tide back somewhat.

Citradia

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Re: This Is How Agricultural Disasters Happen
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2017, 08:35:31 PM »
Humans are part of nature, part of the web of life. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves; that's from Chief Seattle. We are changing the face of the planet by degrees every day with our use of land, water, and natural resources, including our means of travel, whether by land, sea or air. Similar to a beaver bringing logs to his dam and changing the flow of a river. People brought citrus to America and it became naturalized in FL. Now we inadvertently brought psillids and emerald ash borer to America, and will see the demise of citrus and ash trees.  We will read about citrus and ash trees in the future like we read about the American chestnut now. The only hope for citrus will be genetic programs for resistance and/or immunity to greening like the American Chestnut Society is doing for chestnut blight.