The REAL Food Police Cracks Down on San Diego

by: Jill Richardson

Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 14:22:18 PM PDT

The reason? The light brown apple moth, or LBAM. It's an invasive pest from Australia that the CDFA and USDA have been going bonkers over for the past few years, despite assertions from entomologists specializing in invasive pests that the government is using science from the 1960's and its tactics are, more or less, stupid and worthless. To date, quarantines by the government have harmed farmers in our state much more than the pest itself has. I've posted the specific rules of the quarantine below. Here's what the Farm Bureau website says about the impending quarantine:

As feared, another light brown apple moth discovery has occurred in the county. Instead of just one moth as was found in Bonsall, this time four were found in one trap, which exceeds the quarantine trigger of two. The site is near the intersection of the 805 and 15 freeways in the City of San Diego. Additional traps have been set to determine the intensity of the infestation and those traps will be read on Thursday.

Sometime next week the state will set the boundaries of the State Interior Quarantine, which will extend out 1.5 miles from the find sites and at this point doesn't appear to capture any commercial producers. However, after the state quarantine is declared, there will be the declaration of a federal quarantine and the feds are leaning towards placing the entire county under quarantine. Timing on that declaration is still unknown. County, state, and federal officials are currently working through the situation. 35 additional inspectors are currently en route to San Diego from other parts of the state and country to assist with the project.

RESTRICTIONS:
1. Articles and commodities that are "host materials" (see below) cannot be moved within or from the area under quarantine except:

a. With a certificate issued by an authorized county/state/federal agricultural official declaring that the articles and commodities came from a place or business which is apparently free from any form (i.e. life stage) of the light brown apple moth.
b. With a certificate issued by an authorized county/state/federal agricultural official declaring that the articles and commodities have been inspected or treated properly and are apparently free from any form (i.e. life stage) of the light brown apple moth.
c. If purchased at a retail sales location and with a sales receipt.
d. If the article or commodity was produced outside the quarantine area and is being moved through the quarantine area by direct route, without delay, in vehicles or containers which prevent infestation by the light brown apple moth while in transit through the area.

2. Agricultural machinery and equipment are prohibited movement within or from the quarantine area except if cleaned and treated to the satisfaction of CDFA or the county agricultural commissioner.

These restrictions apply regardless of the specific LBAM eradication treatments underway in a quarantine zone.

HOST MATERIALS:
1. All live nursery plants.
2. All fresh green waste material and cuttings from any plants.
3. All fresh garlands, wreaths, cut flowers and greens produced within the quarantine area.
4. All harvested fruits and vegetables produced within the quarantine area except the following commercially produced crops: artichokes (globe), asparagus, beets without tops, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots without tops, celery, cabbages, cauliflowers, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce (head and leaf), olives, parsley, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes without tops, spinach, squashes, tomatoes, and walnuts.
5. Potential carriers of LBAM include: all machinery and equipment including tractors, trailers, trucks, planting, picking and pruning equipment and processing machinery used in growing, harvesting, processing and hauling of the host plants and plant parts; and any green waste materials and cuttings.
6. The following articles are exempt from the quarantine regulations: Seed removed from fruit; leafless, dormant bare-rooted nursery stock; leafless dormant nursery stock i containers where all leaf litter and any weeds have been removed, privately-owned indoor decorative houseplants; and dying or dead plant material that has been ground up and is moved directly to a city or county sanitary landfill or state licensed compost facility within the quarantine area.