USDA secures $129 million to help combat exotic fruit fly outbreaks

The oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis). PHOTO COURTESY OF USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) secured $129.2 million to help respond to the threats associated with growing outbreaks of exotic fruit flies. The funding will be used to support efforts in the U.S. and in buffer zones in Guatemala and Mexico to prevent the northward spread of the pest.

Pest management professionals (PMPs) are most familiar with Drosophila melanogaster, known as the common fruit fly, the red-eyed fruit fly and even the vinegar fly. However, “exotic” fruit fly species that PMPs can encounter, and that the USDA is focusing on, include:

• Cherry fruit fly: Both eastern and western cherry fruit flies belong to the Rhagoletis genus, and as their name implies, target cherries as their primary host. 
• Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata): Also known as the medfly, this destructive species is larger than common fruit flies and has the potential to infest a wider variety of fruits.
• Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha luden): Also known as the Mexfly, this invasive species can be a problem in certain regions of the US.
• Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis): While not yet established in the continental U.S., this species is invasive on all islands of Hawaii. It has been spotted in California and Florida, but in each instance (thus far) has been successfully eradicated.

“Fruit flies attack more than 400 different types of plants, destroying entire crops, disrupting trade, and causing major financial losses,” said Michael Watson, administrator, APHIS. “Dedicating emergency funds to address these outbreaks means the collaborative effort to protect U.S. agriculture from this unprecedented outbreak can continue. We are reinforcing prevention measures, investing in long-term solutions like improved sterile insect facilities, and bolstering our response to detections.”

APHIS maintains a sensitive fruit fly detection network of more than 160,000 traps across California, Florida, New York, Texas and Puerto Rico.

With this funding, APHIS will work to safeguard billions of dollars in vegetable and fruit commodities including:

• Work with local, state and international partners to eradicate exotic fruit fly outbreaks domestically and internationally to prevent spread.
• Bolster surveillance systems to detect new incursions.
• Repairing sterile insect facilities in California and Texas and replacing essential equipment to enhance the effectiveness of the program.

The USDA, California Department of Food and Agriculture and Texas Department of Agriculture are working together to combat an outbreak of exotic fruit flies in several counties in California and Texas.

APHIS eradication programs use an integrated pest management strategy that includes a range of control methods, both chemical and nonchemical. According to APHIS, these methods have effectively eradicated spot infestations of fruit flies in the United States since 1984.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2025/01/28/usda-secures-129-million-to-help-combat-exotic-fruit-fly-outbreaks/
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