APHIS Factsheet

Plant Protection and Quarantine July 2008

Questions and Answers: 

USDA’s Federal Order 

to Prevent the Spread of 

Citrus Greening and the 

Asian Citrus Psyllid

Q. What is citrus greening?

A. Citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing 

or yellow dragon disease, is one of the most serious 

citrus diseases in the world. It was fi rst detected in 

Miami-Dade County, FL, in September 2005. Citrus 

greening is not harmful to people, but the disease can 

have serious economic consequences. The bacterial 

disease greatly reduces production, destroys the economic value of fruit, and can kill trees. Once infected, 

there is no cure for a tree with citrus greening disease. 

In areas of the world where citrus greening is endemic, 

citrus trees decline and die within a few years. The 

disease has signifi cantly reduced citrus production in 

Asia, Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Brazil. 

Q. What is the Asian citrus psyllid?

A. The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is the primary insect 

vector that spreads citrus greening from infected trees 

to healthy trees as they feed on the plant. In addition, the ACP is a citrus pest in its own right. The ACP, 

which has been detected in Florida, Guam, Hawaii, 

Louisiana, Puerto Rico, and Texas, bears the scientifi c 

name Diaphorina citri Kuwayama and is widely distributed in southern Asia and parts of Mexico and Brazil. 

Adult ACPs are small (3–4 mm) and have mottled 

brown wings. 

Q. Why does the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 

(USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS) have a Federal Order in place for 

citrus greening and ACP? 

A. APHIS fi rst issued a Federal Order to prevent the 

spread of citrus greening and ACP from quarantined 

areas in Florida on September 16, 2005. This Federal 

Order has been updated four times since to refl ect new 

fi ndings of citrus greening and ACP. Most recently, on 

June 24, 2008, APHIS updated its Federal Order when 

citrus greening and Asian citrus psyllids were confi rmed in Louisiana. Citrus greening was 

confi rmed in Orleans Parish and ACP was confi rmed 

in Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. 

Charles, St. Tammany, and Terrebonne parishes. In 

addition to Orleans Parish, the entire State of Florida 

is quarantined for citrus greening. The Federal Order 

also places the four Louisiana parishes, all of Florida, 

Hawaii, Guam, and Puerto Rico, as well as 32 Texas 

counties under quarantine for Asian citrus psyllid. 

Q. What restrictions are imposed on the State of 

Florida and Orleans Parish, LA, for citrus 

greening? 

A. The Federal Order restricts the interstate movement of plants and plant material that are hosts for 

citrus greening outside of the quarantined areas. Plant 

material is defi ned as all live plants and plant parts, 

including but not limited to nursery stock, cuttings, 

budwood, and seed for propagation. For a list of host 

plants please visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_

health/plant_pest_info/citrus_greening/hosts.shtml. 

While the movement of citrus fruit is not prohibited 

under the citrus greening quarantine, restrictions on 

fruit movement are already in place in Florida due to 

the presence of citrus canker. All Federal regulations 

must be followed when shipping Florida citrus interstate. Citrus canker is not known to be in Louisiana, 

so there is no restriction on fruit movement from this 

State.

Q. Does the June 24, 2008, order replace previous 

Federal Orders issued to prevent the spread of 

citrus greening? 

A. Yes. This order updates and replaces all previous 

versions of the Federal Order.

Q. Why is APHIS restricting the movement of 

citrus seed used for propagation?

A. Recent studies have shown that it is possible that 

citrus greening could be spread through infected 

seeds. As a result, APHIS is restricting the movement 

of seed used for propagation. APHIS will continue to 

evaluate the latest science on this issue and update its 

regulations accordingly.

Q. Will APHIS allow the interstate movement of 

restricted nursery stock?

A. If, in the future, scientifi c evidence demonstrates 

that nursery stock can be handled in a way that prevents the risk of spreading citrus greening and citrus 

canker, APHIS would pursue rulemaking to allow the 

interstate movement of these plants. However, until 
these requirements are established, nursery stock 

from areas quarantined for citrus greening can only be 

moved interstate for immediate export accompanied 

by a limited permit that prevents distribution to any 

citrus-producing States or territories.

Q. What is a limited permit?

A. A limited permit contains specifi c language prohibiting the shipment of host material from quarantined 

areas to citrus-producing States and territories. A 

limited permit is required to move regulated articles to 

noncitrus-producing States. The limited permit must 

be displayed on a plastic or metal tag attached to each 

plant, or on the box or container if the plant is sealed 

in plastic. In addition, the limited permit statement 

must be displayed on the outside of any shipping containers used to transport citrus greening-host plants 

and must be attached to the bill of lading or other 

shipping documents that accompany the plants. A 

limited permit can only be issued by APHIS, the State, 

territory, or commonwealth where the host plants 

originated, or by an authorized representative under a 

compliance agreement.

Q. Why does the Federal Order also restrict the 

movement of ACP host plants from Florida, Guam, 

Hawaii, Puerto Rico, 32 Texas counties and four 

Louisiana parishes? 

A. The ACP, which is a serious citrus pest as well as 

the main vector for citrus greening, has been detected 

in these States and territories prompting the Federal 

quarantine. To prevent the further spread of the ACP, 

all live plants and plant material from quarantined 

areas must be treated according to guidelines established in the Federal Order. In addition, the State of 

Texas established a parallel quarantine on November 

30, 2007, and the State of Louisiana also established 

one on June 30, 2008, restricting the intrastate movement of ACP-host material in order to prevent the 

spread of the disease to additional counties. 

Q. Does APHIS plan to update its regulations with 

regard to citrus greening and the ACP? 

A. Yes. APHIS anticipates establishing an interim rule 

in 2008 detailing new requirements. 

Q. What 32 Texas counties are quarantined to prevent the spread of the ACP? 

A. The following Texas counties are under quarantine 

for the ACP: Aransas, Atascosa, Bee, Bexar, Brazoria, 

Brooks, Caldwell, Cameron, Dimmit, Duval, Harris, 

Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live 

Oak, Matagorda, Maverick, McMullen, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, 

Waller, Washington, Webb, Willacy, and Zapata.

Q. If a State or territory has the ACP, does that 

mean that they also have citrus greening?

A. No. Citrus greening has only been detected in 

Florida and Orleans Parish, LA. The goal of the Federal Order is to prevent citrus greening from becoming 

established in other States and territories. If citrus 

greening were introduced into other citrus-producing 

States or territories where ACP populations exist, 

it would likely result in the establishment and rapid 

spread of the disease. 

Q. What requirements must be met in order to 

move ACP-host material? 

A. The Federal Order requires ACP-host material 

from quarantined areas to be treated, inspected, and 

stamped with a limited permit to prevent distribution to 

any citrus-producing States and territories where the 

ACP is not currently present. In addition, fresh fruit, 

which is not otherwise regulated or restricted due to 

citrus canker must be cleared using normal packinghouse procedures if it is being moved to Alabama, Arizona, California, or portions of Texas and Louisiana not 

quarantined for ACP. Anyone engaged in the business 

of growing or handling citrus must enter into a compliance agreement with APHIS. For a list of host plants, 

please visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/

plant_pest_info/citrus_greening/hosts.shtml.

Q. What is a compliance agreement?

A. A compliance agreement is a contract between 

APHIS and any person engaged in the business of 

growing or handling regulated articles for the purpose 

of interstate movement. Compliance agreements help 

facilitate the interstate movement of regulated articles 

in accordance with State and Federal regulations. 

Anyone operating under a compliance agreement 

must agree to handle, pack, process, treat, and move 

regulated articles in accordance with the Federal Order 

and to issue all permits and certifi cates in accordance 

with instructions. Any compliance agreement may 

be cancelled orally or in writing by an inspector if the 

inspector fi nds that the person who entered into the 

compliance agreement has failed to meet the established requirements.

Q. How do I arrange a compliance agreement?

A. Compliance agreements may be arranged by contacting a local office of the Plant Protection and Quarantine, APHIS (listed in local telephone directories), or 

by contacting APHIS’ Plant Protection and Quarantine, 

Domestic and Emergency Operations, 4700 River 

Road, Unit 134, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236. 

Q. What are the approved treatments for moving 

ACP-host plants and plant material interstate from 

quarantine areas?
A. All plants and plant material moving interstate 

from ACP-quarantined areas must be treated using 

an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved 

product labeled for use in nurseries. The plants and 

plant material must be treated 30 days prior to movement with a soil drench containing imidacloprid as the 

active ingredient. Ten days prior to shipping, the plants 

and plant material must be treated with a foliar spray 

with a product containing either acetamiprid, chlorpyrifos, or fenpropathrin as the active ingredient. Plant 

parts intended for human consumption, such as curry 

leaves, must be treated using methyl bromide. 

Q. What are the requirements for moving 

ACP-host plant parts, such as curry leaves, 

intended for human consumption?

A. Plant parts, such as curry leaves, intended for 

human consumption must be treated with methyl 

bromide in accordance with the APHIS treatment 

manual prior to interstate movement. EPA has 

approved methyl bromide fumigation as a safe treatment for plants and plant materials intended for human 

consumption. For more information about treatment 

schedules, please visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/

import_export/plants/manuals/ports/. Inspection following treatment will not be required because methyl 

bromide is effective in killing the ACP in all its life 

stages. Prior to interstate movement, shipping containers must be clearly marked to indicate where the 

leaves were produced and that the leaves have been 

treated in accordance with APHIS requirements. 

Q. Who is responsible for inspecting ACP-host 

plants and plant material?

A. APHIS personnel will conduct inspections as well 

as designated State officials. Inspectors must confi rm that all regulated articles have been treated as 

required within 72 hours prior to shipping and that they 

are free of the ACP.

Q. What if the inspector fi nds the ACP on the 

plants or plant material?

A. If the ACP is detected on any plant or plant material during an inspection, then the shipment would

be required to undergo additional treatment and 

re-inspection. If upon re-inspection the plants or plant 

material are found to be free of the ACP, they would be 

allowed to move interstate. 

Q. Where can I fi nd more information about citrus 

greening?

A. For more information on citrus greening, please visit 

the APHIS Web site at www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/

hot_issues/index.shtml and click on the citrus greening 

hot issues link.

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with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) 

should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice 

and TDD). To fi le a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, 

Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. , 

Washington , D.C. 20250–9410 , or call (800) 795–3272 (voice) or 

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United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture