AP Texas News
State enacts plan to stop spread of citrus-spoiling insect

Nov. 30, 2007, 7:18PM

AUSTIN — State agriculture officials placed quarantine measures Friday on citrus growers in 32 counties to prevent the spread of an insect capable of damaging crops but posing no danger to public health.

Nurseries and citrus growers are being required to install a treatment plan against Asian citrus psyllids, a small brownish insect relatively new to the U.S.

The insects are capable of causing citrus greening, which can spoil plants. Citrus fruit from the quarantined counties remains safe to eat, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture.

The affected counties are Aransas, Atascosa, Bee, Bexar, Brazoria, Brooks, Caldwell, Cameron, Dimmit, Duval, Harris, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kennedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Matagorda, Maverick, McMullen, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, Waller, Washington, Webb, Willacy, and Zapata.

Source: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5343241.html