Watch CBS News

Citrus Pest Prompts Quarantine In Ventura County

VENTURA (AP) — California agriculture officials have expanded their quarantine area for the Asian citrus psyllid after the two of the insects were found in Ventura County.

The Department of Food and Agriculture announced Friday that all of Ventura County and some 312 square miles of adjacent Santa Barbara County were being put under quarantine to minimize the spread of the pest, which can carry a disease fatal to lemon and orange trees.

Psyllid quarantines had already been in place in San Diego, Imperial, Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

The quarantine prohibits the movement of host nursery stock out of quarantine areas and requires that all citrus fruit be cleaned of leaves and stems before leaving quarantine areas.

(© Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.