Lawmakers hoping to aid citrus growers impacted by the Oriental fruit fly quarantine in the Redlands area and elsewhere in the state have asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to step in.

In a letter to Newsom last month, state Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, R-Yucaipa, joined other members of the state Legislature to request $45 million in emergency funding for citrus growers grappling with an invasive fruit fly that has heavily impacted distribution and sales. Previously, Newsom proposed spending $22 million in 2024-25 to address the infestation.

“Local growers within quarantined areas … are suffering significant losses due to the recent exotic fruit fly infestation,” Bogh said in a news release.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture in September enacted a quarantine in Redlands and neighboring communities to try to control the spread of the Oriental fruit fly. In February, CDFA officials ordered fruit stripped from some trees in Redlands in an effort to prevent infestation.

Under the proposal by Bogh and other lawmakers, the $45 million in relief funding would assist commercial citrus and other growers across the Inland Empire who are experiencing economic hardship from the quarantine.

“Providing financial assistance to struggling growers will encourage them to comply with quarantine standards, which is necessary to prevent the spread of these pests,” Bogh said. “It’s important we take such measures to keep California’s agricultural sector competitive and protect it from such threats.”

The state is experiencing the highest level of fruit fly infestations in its recorded history, officials say. There have been more than 900 fruit fly detections in 15 counties as of early 2024, a significant increase from the seven flies found in a typical year.

As proposed by lawmakers, the $45 million appropriation would be available in the form of grants to growers within the quarantine areas who have significant crop loss and are not eligible for crop insurance to cover their losses.

In a related response to the fruit fly infestation, Assemblymember Eloise Gomez Reyes, D-Colton, in February introduced legislation to require state agencies to develop and implement strategies to detect and eradicate invasive species to protect crops and the environment. Assembly Bill 2827 is working its way through committees.

Source - https://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com