Calf. Dept. Of Food & Agriculture Lab Processes 20,000+ Samples for HLB

[Millet]

CDFA’s trapping, treatment and survey crew has been working around the clock this winter following the detection of Huanglongbing positive citrus trees in San Gabriel and a La Puente psyllid that tested positive to be carrying the bacteria that causes HLB. Roughly 10,000 Asian citrus psyllids and 12,000 plant samples have been collected for HLB testing. CDFA’s lab switched into overdrive to process this onslaught of samples and quickly identify any potential incidences of the fatal tree disease.

Additionally, the survey team has visited thousands of properties in San Gabriel and La Puente, manually inspecting every host plant within 800 meters of the HLB find sites. Residents have been cooperative with these activities, and the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program thanks these residents for their ongoing support in these efforts to save California citrus trees. All of this is in addition to biological control efforts that are ongoing. More than 2 million biological control agents were released in 2015. CDFA’s biological control program is actively working to streamline and speed up production, and expanding capabilities with a new facility .

Millet

[morgman]

Thanks Millet.

USDA inspected the citrus trees in our front yard mid December 2015. They used vinyl nursery plant labels and tagged and dated each citrus tree. I saw the USDA inspector doing some tests on a neighbors old grapefruit a few consecutive times. The USDA inspector leaves a note  about HLB and what they are testing for along with a date and time the tests were done.

[Kiet]

I just recently noticed some of my citrus trees were tagged on 5/11 with a number on the back.  Does anyone know what it means? Will I be notified of anything?

[Millet]

KIet, what agency's name was on the tag?   For example:  USDA, Calf. Dept. Of Food & Agriculture , or some other name. If the tag had a phone number you can call them.  Most likely your tree was inspected for Asian citrus psyllid and citrus greening disease, and then tagged. If your tree proved to be clean you will probably not hear from them again.
Millet

[buddinman]

Normally there are 2 workers from Texas A&M at Weslaco Tx that makes rounds throughout the state looking for Psyllids. So far none has been in our area but have been found n 3 counties about 90 miles West.         

[mrtexas]

They haven't been looking enough in the Beaumont area if they haven't found them yet.
My citrus trees in Beaumont had psyllids one summer about 5 years ago. At the time I wasn't buying any trees.
They just showed up one day. After a good freeze that winter, no more psyllids. In my experience this
is the only time I know of that pests were exterminated and did not come back.

[mrtexas]

xxx

[Kiet]

KIet, what agency's name was on the tag?   For example:  USDA, Calf. Dept. Of Food & Agriculture , or some other name. If the tag had a phone number you can call them.  Most likely your tree was inspected for Asian citrus psyllid and citrus greening disease, and then tagged. If your tree proved to be clean you will probably not hear from them again.
Millet

nope.  just a simple plain white nursery tag.

[Millet]

Kiet, will ....if the inspectors did not find any thing wrong  then I guess you will never hear from them. - Millet

[Kiet]

Kiet, will ....if the inspectors did not find any thing wrong  then I guess you will never hear from them. - Millet

I really do hope so...  I inspect new growth once in a while and I have seen the asian citrus psyllid before.

If I hear anything, I will let you guys know..

[marklee]

They have been down here checking all of my citrus and just  said to look for signs. I used to work for the AG dept. here and worked in the Pierces disease program with the Glassy winged sharp shooter program.

[morgman]

I just recently noticed some of my citrus trees were tagged on 5/11 with a number on the back.  Does anyone know what it means? Will I be notified of anything?

Kiet - That is the USDA inspection tag. I saw the workers tag our trees. They are small white blank nursery tags with hand written date and ID numbers. They should have tagged all your trees in the front of your property.

- Morgan