Solano Co. Medfly Quarantine To Be Addressed In Meeting This Week

SOLANO COUNTY – Solano County growers and members of the public are invited to a meeting this week about the establishment of a quarantine around the Fairfield site where four adult Mediterranean fruit flies were detected last week. The meeting, hosted by the Solano County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, will take place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4 at the County Event Center, 601 Texas Street in Fairfield.

According to a news release, CDFA representatives will present the latest information on the quarantine, the status of Medfly detections in the county and future impacts. Staff from the county Ag Department and the state will be on hand to answer questions regarding the steps growers must take to harvest their fruit in compliance with quarantine restrictions, said Matthew Davis, spokesman for the county administrator's office.

>>MORE ABOUT THE SOLANO COUNTY MEDFLY INFESTATION: Solano County Medfly Quarantine Goes Into Effect

No RSVPs are necessary for Wednesday's meeting. Anyone with questions may call the Solano County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office at 707-784-1310.

Authorities say the Medfly is known to target more than 250 types of fruits and vegetables, which could cause significant impacts to California's agricultural exports and backyard gardens. Damage occurs when the female lays eggs inside the fruit; the eggs then hatch into maggots and tunnel through the flesh of the fruit, making it unfit for consumption.

Residents who believe their fruits or vegetables are infested with fly larvae are encouraged to call the state’s toll-free Pest Hotline at 800-491-1899 or the Solano County Agricultural Commissioner’s office at 707-784-1310.

Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture/Flickr, used under Creative Commons