Florida citrus fruits are under attack! The culprit: Citrus Canker. As a citrus fruit lover, I contacted the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services with some concerns…
Dear Canker Fighters:
I understand there is currently a statewide quarantine by the USDA in effect — due to the outbreak of citrus canker in 24 Florida counties — mandating that no citrus may leave the state unless the USDA has issued a limited permit. Being a law abiding citizen, does that mean if I was driving to Atlanta, it would be a violation to bring a few citrus fruit snacks with me across state lines? I know this might sound silly, but I would hate to be picked up by the Border Patrol for possession of a couple of kumquats.
I’m not real familiar with citrus canker, but is it the same kind of canker that causes canker sores in the mouth? I would find it very upsetting to get canker sores from canker infested Florida fruit.
There’s no place in Florida for canker on our fruits or in our mouths. Maybe you could start an ad campaign called, “Cankers Away!” That might help you win the War on Canker.
The Division Director responded with:
The Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services is in receipt of your letter dated July 22, 2009 regarding the movement of Florida citrus to Georgia. The Department apologizes for any inconvenience these restrictions may cause you, but as you are aware, Florida is currently under a statewide quarantine by the US Department of Agriculture, and therefore no Florida citrus may leave the state unless the USDA has issued a limited permit. This means that in order for any home grown citrus to leave the state, homeowners have to take their fruit to a commercial packing house to be inspected and decontaminated (even if it is only a couple of pieces of fruit). Citrus Canker is an airborne bacterial disease that easily spreads to citrus trees, but only affects citrus and therefore cannot harm people, animals, or other types of plants.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry Helpline at 1-800-282-5153.
Final Thoughts: The Department’s Citrus Canker Fact Sheet reveals that these highly contagious “brown, raised lesions surrounded by an oily, water-soaked margin and a yellow ring or halo” cause leaves and fruit to drop prematurely. So help the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reap the fruits of their labor and don’t even think about smuggling home grown citrus fruit out of the state without a permit.
Sometimes, when you don’t know what you’re dealing with, it’s best to quarantine yourself in a room and Write The Company.
