Light Brown Apple Moth
Eliminating the Light Brown Apple Moth from California is critical to the agricultural economy and natural landscape. This voracious pest wrecks havoc on a variety of plant material, attacking more than 250 different crops and as many as 2,000 host plants, including many native trees and plants. We support CDFA’s responsive efforts, in cooperation with our state leaders, towards eradicating this devastating insect.
-Ryan Jacobsen
Executive Director
Light Brown Apple Moth eradication poses controversy in Bay Area
Meeting held in Reedley to discuss pest
By Cassie Dellaganna
FCFB Intern
The Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) has garnered much attention in the coastal and northern part of California. Fear of aerial applications to eradicate the voracious pest has resulted in public outcry, voluminous mis-information, and even a judicial ruling to ban aerial treatments. Although the pest has not yet been found in the San Joaquin Valley, concern has been expressed by the agricultural industry, closely watching what could be precedence-setting policies for treatment and eradication of exotic pests in the state.
The LBAM is an invasive pest that attacks over 250 crops, such as citrus trees, grapes and fruit tree crops. It also can survive in about 2,000 host or ornamental plants such as rose varieties, jasmine, and mums.
In early 2007, LBAM’s presence was confirmed in the U.S. by both the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), marking the first infestation of LBAM in the U.S. (the contiguous 48 states) and an emergency was declared. The California State Legislature passed legislation stating that the infestation presented a “clear and present danger.”
Isolated detections of LBAM last year in Los Angeles and Napa counties have already been eradicated by using twist ties that emit moth mating-disruption pheromones, and in Sonoma County a single moth was detected and an intensive trapping program is underway to determine the level of infestation.
To date, LBAM has infested 10 Bay Area and Central Coast counties, including Monterey, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, Alameda, Solano, and Santa Barbara. Quarantines have been put in place to try and keep the infestations from spreading, and eradication programs are in place.
The controversy over pheromones
To help eradicate the pest in these areas, CDFA has used applications of a LBAM pheromone, a proven mating disruption technique used successfully to manage other pest species in commercial agricultural production. The pheromones are highly specific to the target species, and by themselves will not harm native insects, the plants they pollinate, and the animals that depend on them for food.
This pest management tool is widely used in the Valley by fruit producers, including organic farmers, as part of integrated pest management practices for crop-specific pests, such as the peach twig borer, Oriental fruit moth, coddling moth, red scale, San Jose scale, and vine mealy bug. By using pheromones for these specific pests, the orchards or affected areas are covered with the female scent, causing the male pests to become confused in locating the females for mating purposes, and, subsequently, are unable to mate and increase the population. Pheromones are an alternative to chemical treatments.
Although the LBAM pheromone release program is an alternative to conventional chemical spraying, many residents in the affected counties are concerned and have objected to the aerial applications of pheromones to eradicate LBAM.
Recently, Santa Cruz County Superior Court ruled to postpone aerial treatment for the eradication of LBAM in Santa Cruz concerning to food and fiber producers in the San Joaquin Valley. Judge Paul Burdick ruled the state did not provide sufficient evidence to show the LBAM treatment is an emergency, and he mandated the state complete an environmental impact report before spraying resumes.
Specifically, the concern expressed among urban residents rests with the inert ingredients contained in the “Checkmate” pheromone application process. The microencapsulated products as part of the application mixture contain timed-release pheromones since pheromones have a short effective life span. It is these extremely small particulate matter particles applied aerially that have residents in the affected areas concerned, some of whom attended an informational meeting in Reedley last week with CDFA Secretary A. G. Kawamura and state agricultural officials.
Concern expressed by Valley agriculture
The City of Reedley meeting provided a chance for Fresno County agricultural leaders, producers and community leaders to hear first-hand about LBAM eradication efforts. “Everyone is a stakeholder in the success and failure of eradication of invasive pests, like the Light Brown Apple Moth,” Kawamura said. “There will be continued pests coming into the state and this is the one we are dealing with now,” he added, emphasizing the importance of preventative measures to keep non-native pests out of the state.
At the meeting, some discussion focused on whether this particular pest can live in the Valley’s hot, dry climate and if it does indeed pose a threat to Valley agriculture. Because of the voracious nature of the pest with its ability to generate up to five generations per year and ability to lay up to 300 eggs in multiple deposits and locations, the USDA and CDFA content the LBAM is a pest of significant risk. “Why would we not want to eradicate a pest that will go after home landscape, agricultural and ornamental crops and could affect our forestry? It would irresponsible not to eradicate it,” he said.
Valley agriculture is concerned about the recent court ruling may have on the LBAM eradication program and future eradication programs. “The state needs the ability to act quickly on invading pests and diseases before populations grow too large to manage and they become a greater threat to the environment, the economy and human health,” said Ryan Jacobsen, FCFB executive director.
“I commend you for getting the information to us,” Orange Cover Mayor Victor Lopez told Kawamura at the Reedley meeting. ‘We rely on agriculture. We need to know about this [pest] before it’s too late,” he added.
Invasive pests pose an increasing threat to California’s natural landscape and the State’s $32 billion agricultural economy. State and federal agencies have consulted experts from around the world in deciding the best course of action to complete the eradication of LBAM in California.
So far eradication techniques using pheromones have been successful, and as long as officials are allowed to continue the treatments that are already in place and worked, total eradication is a possibility.
Agricultural Today: May 2008
FAMILY FARMERS URGE CONTINUED FIGHT AGAINST INVASIVE MOTH
CFBF News Release- March 12, 2008
Farm Bureau: Agencies must address concerns of trading partners, farmers and residents
With invasive pests posing an increasing threat to California’s natural landscape and economy, family farmers today urged that government agencies continue to press for eradication of the light brown apple moth. The invading pest has infested nine counties in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Coast. It threatens native plants, many garden plants and a wide variety of crops.
Two of California’s top trading partners, Canada and Mexico, have each imposed new restrictions on farms from infested counties. Many farmers in the affected counties sell to both local and international markets. The restrictions may make it practically impossible for farmers to sell their fruits, vegetables, cut flowers and nursery plants to customers in the two nations.
“Farmers tend to see the impact of invading pests first, but the light brown apple moth will also hurt home gardens and our natural environment,” California Farm Bureau Federation President Doug Mosebar said. “Other places don’t want the moth, and they’ll clamp down on our farmers to make sure that it doesn’t move. The trading restrictions pose a particular burden for organic farmers and for small-scale farms and nurseries that sell products in Canada and Mexico.”
Mosebar said federal and state government agencies must convince trading partners that they intend to eradicate the light brown apple moth. At the same time, he said, they must show residents and elected officials that the moth can be eradicated safely and effectively.
“There’s a lot of fear and distrust among people living in areas where treatments against the moth are scheduled,” Mosebar said. “We need to do a better job of showing people how invading pests and diseases harm everyone who cares about the California landscape. We must address people’s fears openly and honestly as we confront the environmental and economic risks from invading pests.”
The additional restrictions from Canada and Mexico affect shipments to two of the top foreign customers for California farm products. Canada is the No. 2 foreign market for California farms and ranches, purchasing almost $1.9 billion in products annually. The two leading farm exports to Canada, lettuce and strawberries, are grown primarily in counties now affected by light brown apple moth quarantines. Mexico purchases more than $560 million in California farm products each year. Strawberries, nursery crops and lettuce are among the top 10 products that Mexican buyers purchase from California.
The California Farm Bureau Federation, the state’s largest farm organization, works to protect farms and ranches on behalf of 92,000 members statewide.
CFBF News Release- March 12, 2008
Contact: Dave Kranz, Manager of Media Services, (916) 561-5550
More Information
For detailed information on the light brown apple moth, click here.
For information on eradicating the moth, click here.