Jul 18, 2018

APHIS establishes rules for impacts of European cherry fruit fly

Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has developed a host list for European cherry fruit fly (ECFF, Rhagoletis cerasi), and established conditions for the interstate movement of regulated articles from core areas quarantined for ECFF. These conditions include a systems approach to allow the interstate movement of cherry fruit from areas in a half-mile radius of quarantine ECFF detections without methyl bromide fumigation.

This action is required because the current fruit fly host list in the domestic quarantine regulations for fruit flies in 7 CFR 301.32 does not include ECFF hosts. The list is needed to identify ECFF hosts and to prevent the spread of this pest within the United States. Previous APHIS actions related to ECFF did not specify conditions for interstate movement of ECFF hosts from a quarantined area. This action specifies that, with the exception described below, all host articles must be moved in accordance with the conditions for interstate movement of host articles in 7 CFR 301.32-4 and 301.32-5.

As an exception, the conditions for interstate movement of host articles in 7 CFR 301.32-4 and 301.32-5 do not specify the conditions under which cherries, a host of ECFF, may be moved from the core (0.5 mile radius from ECFF detections) areas quarantined for ECFF without methyl bromide fumigation. However, APHIS has developed a systems approach, which would allow for such movement.

APHIS will regulate the interstate movement of ECFF host articles from all ECFF quarantine areas in the United States in accordance with the regulations in 7 CFR 301.32 and any applicable provisions of this Federal Order. The current ECFF quarantine areas, the ECFF host list, and this Federal Order are posted at the following site: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/ff