Hold the mangos, please.

After spending the spring battling the Mediterranean fruit fly in Pompano Beach, DPI is looking forward to only having one more month left in this eradication cycle, pending no new fly finds. There were three core areas around Medfly finds in Pompano, and one of the core area eradication cycles ended on May 4. The two other core areas are scheduled to end on June 16 and June 18. Things are looking up for the eradication program, but mangos coming into season could throw a kink in eradication plans. You can help prevent prolonging eradication completion by following DPI guidelines for moving host plants and fruit.

Mangos are a known host for Medfly and are in production in the Pompano Beach area. Also, many homeowners near the Medfly find core areas have backyard mango trees. While shipping tasty, homegrown Florida mangos to friends and relatives in other parts of the state and country might seem like a nice thing to do, it could be detrimental to eradication efforts.

If you are in the Medfly quarantine area, it is illegal to move fruit, vegetables or nuts within or outside of the quarantine area. Moving fruit risks the spread of Medfly. We ask that you do not move fresh fruit from your property, as even delicious-looking fruit could be full of Medfly maggots which quickly hatch into adult flies. Also, please pick up any fallen or extra fruit. When you dispose of fruit, tie it in a plastic bag and put it out with household trash, not yard waste. Don’t just follow these instructions yourself; tell your friends and family, too! Everyone’s cooperation is needed to successfully eradicate the Medfly.

If you are located in the Medfly quarantine area, you’ll probably come across this poster. If you have any questions, please visit the DPI website or call the division’s toll-free helpline at 888-397-1517. For background information, check out our related blog posts.

Pledge an Act of Green: Monitor for Citrus Diseases

Florida is known for its sunshine and citrus, but those involved with the citrus industry know the dangers associated with growing the fruit due to the introduction of citrus pests and diseases. Abandoned citrus groves, the unregulated movement of citrus fruit and plant parts and the state’s vulnerability to exotic pests as a hub for tourism all contribute to the problems that result from citrus pests and diseases.

Citrus canker, citrus greening, citrus black spot and the Asian citrus psyllid all currently affect the Florida citrus industry. Even if you do not commercially grow citrus, you can help stop the spread of these pests and diseases by raising your awareness and monitoring for them. You can check out our Citrus Health Response website for all kinds of information on citrus health in Florida, and even use our interactive citrus disease identification tool.

With Earth Day coming up this Friday, you can take part in the Pledge and Act of Green movement by pledging to monitor for citrus pests and diseases in your yard. If you suspect you have a citrus disease, call DPI’s toll-free helpline at 888-397-1517. For more information about Earth Day, visit http://www.earthday.org.

Before you take off or set sail, make sure you don’t pack a pest!

DPI is working with you to safeguard Florida’s agriculture industry and environment. Travelers often unknowingly transport harmful plant pests and diseases like Mediterranean fruit flies, red palm mites, citrus greening, cycad scale and many others. It is estimated that one exotic plant pest or disease is introduced into Florida every month.

If you enjoy flying or sailing around the state, be a responsible maritime vessel or aviation operator. Remind passengers of the potential risks associated with bringing fruit and vegetables into Florida. Know the rules about the movement of agricultural products by visiting www.freshfromforida.com or calling 888-397-1517. Safeguard unrefrigerated fruits and vegetables by wrapping them in plastic. Secure peels and other waste from fruits and vegetables in tied plastic bags and dispose of them in a closed dumpster, or double-bag them to set out with household trash. Always be on the lookout and report any suspicious plant pest or disease to your county extension office or to DPI at 888-397-1517. Don’t move firewood. Firewood and unprocessed wood products, including handicrafts, can harbor harmful pests and diseases. Also, purchase plants from registered nurseries. Help keep our food supply safe. When you travel, don’t pack a pest!

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Back to Square One

Background: In February, two male Medflies were found in Pompano Beach during routine fruit fly trapping. It only takes two Medflies to trigger an eradication program, which FDACS began after the specimens had been confirmed to be wild Medflies. FDACS and USDA employees have been working in the Pompano Beach are and throughout the state to implement the eradication program since the February finds. Eradication efforts include adding more fruit fly traps in the immediate area and establishing a quarantine area to certify fruits or other host materials moving in and out of the quarantine zone. FDACS is also using the Sterile Insect Technique, which involves using biological control methods to release sterile male Medflies to interrupt the reproduction cycle. Eradication cannot be considered successful until three Medfly life cycles have passed with no additional fly finds. On March 14, DPI reported on this blog that two life cycles had passed, with one more to go until eradication could be considered complete.

On March 24, FDACS reported a third Mediterranean fruit fly found in Pompano Beach. It was an egg-bearing female collected during ongoing Medfly eradication activities in the area. A non-dyed male was found the same day, and another Medfly female was found two days later on March 26. Four additional male Medflies were also found. Eradication program activities will increase with these finds, and FDACS is working to set additional traps and expand the regulated quarantine boundary. The core area immediately around new finds will be treated and fruit will be stripped to remove sources for other wild Medflies that may be present. The public will be notified 24 hours in advance of any treatment or fruit stripping activities.

If you live in the quarantined area, you can help prevent the spread of Medfly by following these guidelines:

-Do not move any fruits and vegetables off of your property.
-Pick up any fallen fruits and vegetables from the yard.
-Double-bag fruits and vegetables in plastic. Securely tie bags and leave them out for household garbage pickup, not yard waste.
-Allow state or federal representatives access to your property for survey, trapping or treatment activities.

For more information about the Medfly program, visit http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/medfly, or call DPI’s toll-free helpline at 352-397-1517.

Numbers don’t lie.

Have you ever looked inside the Florida Agricultural Statistical Directory? If you’ve ever wondered how important agriculture is to Florida, or why government agencies are in place to protect the agriculture industry, you’ll find your answer there. Agriculture contributes almost $100 billion to the state’s economy, and there are a variety of environmental factors that can reduce the industry’s productivity. Divisions like the DPI help protect segments of agriculture, and therefore protect the state’s food supply and economic stability. Just how much does DPI protect? Check out the numbers below.

Total cash receipts for Florida nursery and greenhouse products were almost $2 billion in 2008. Sales for fresh market vegetables reached more than $1.3 billion, with production on 183,100 acres in 2009. During the 2008-2009 season, Florida citrus growers produced 162.4 million boxes of oranges and 21.7 million boxes of grapefruit.  Greenhouse and nursery products generate the most cash receipts of all Florida commodities, with the more well-known citrus coming in second. Floriculture and horticulture products make up a large majority of Florida exports.

From Mediterranean fruit fly eradiation to nursery inspections, DPI protects Florida’s plant and apiary industries from pests and diseases, and therefore protects the state’s economy. For more information, visit http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi.

Blue looks good on you.

Whether you like them straight from the U-Pick farm or chilled from the grocery store shelves, fresh blueberries are available in abundance this time of year in Florida. Many Floridians have memories of picking blueberries with their families, or eating the delicious fruit in spring and summer desserts.

Blueberries are not only tasty, but also highly nutritious, packed with vitamin C, fiber, manganese and antioxidants. In fact, one cup of blueberries only has about 80 calories, making them just as good for you as they taste.

Blueberries are one of the few crops grown in Florida that are actually native to the region. Several varieties of blueberries are grown in Florida from the Panhandle down to Central Florida. If you never considered visiting a U-Pick farm, you can locate one through FDACS’s agricultural product and retailer database.

DPI plays a special role in Florida’s blueberry industry because the division is responsible for inspecting blueberry plants for harmful pests and diseases. Learn more about how DPI protects Florida’s plant and apiary industries at http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi.

Sterile Flies to the Rescue

Good news: As of February 25, FDACS and USDA reported that no additional Mediterranean fruit fly has been found since the discovery of two Medflies on February 10 in Pompano Beach.

To address the outbreak, FDACS has placed 1,473 traps in a 51-square-mile area around the positive find. The traps were checked daily, but because no additional fly was found, the traps will now be checked on a weekly basis.

A regulatory boundary (2011 Pompano Beach Medfly Regulated Area) has been established around the area of the positive find to prevent the spread of Medfly. Homeowners within the regulatory boundary should follow these guidelines until eradication is completed:
-Do not move any fruits and vegetables off of your property.
-Pick up any fallen fruits and vegetables from the yard.
-Double-bag fruits and vegetables in plastic. Securely tie bags and leave them out for household garbage pickup, not yard waste.
-Allow state or federal representatives access to your property for survey, trapping or treatment activities.

The next phase of the Medfly eradication program involves utilizing the Sterile Insect Technique, a biologically-based reproduction control method that releases large quantities of sterile male Medflies to outnumber the potential for mating by wild males. Wild female insects that mate with sterile males do not produce offspring, interrupting the reproduction cycle. FDACS began releasing sterile male Medflies in a 60-mile area near Pompano Beach on Sunday, February 27. Weather permitting, flies will be released three times a week throughout the duration of the eradication program. Currently, the eradication program is scheduled to end this May. If another Medfly is found, the eradication program will be extended for three Medfly life cycles.

 The Sterile Insect Technique is an effective method of eradication because it is safe for the environment and the public. Since 1999, FDACS and USDA have been operating a Sterile Medfly Preventative Response Program, which involves the release of Medflies in high risk areas of the state.

It is important to note that although wild Medflies can be devastating to agriculture and its more than 260 host plants, they are not harmful to humans. For more information about the Medfly response, visit http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/medfly or contact DPI’s helpline at 888-397-1517.