County fairs limit FFA/4H dairy cattle exhibits as a precaution.
By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice
The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s eradication efforts on the 2023 invasive fruit fly outbreak have proven effective as CDFA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture officially declared California free of the invasive species at the end of August.
The eradicated invasive fruit fly infestations were focused in Santa Clara, Sacramento, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Riverside San Bernardino, and Ventura counties. While a new Mediterranean Fruit Fly quarantine was enacted in Alameda County, it is separate from these 2023 eradication efforts.
The joint eradication effort addressed infestations from five species — the Oriental, Tau, Queensland, Mexican, and Mediterranean fruit flies. With their successful eradication, quarantines have been lifted across, freeing thousands of acres of commercial agriculture from restrictions.
According to a CDFA press release, the 2023 fruit fly outbreak was the worst of its kind in the department’s 100-year history.
“Invasive fruit flies are among the most destructive and costly pests globally, threatening more than 400 species of fruits and vegetables, including many of California’s most valuable crops such as oranges, grapes, mangoes, blueberries, and tomatoes,” USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny L. Moffitt said in the release. “The eradication of these pests marks a major victory for California’s agricultural economy.”
SHOO, FLY, SHOO
Despite the successful eradication efforts in August, Medflies have since been detected in Alameda County for the first time since 1981. The county’s agricultural commissioner is working closely with CDFA to combat the invasive species as CDFA has successfully eradicated every detected Medfly infestation in California history.
One wild, mated female was detected in Fremont, triggering the quarantine of approximately 83 square miles. Sterile male Medflies will be released at 250,000 males per square mile, per week, in a 39-square mile area around the infestation. Properties within 200 meters of detection sites will be treated with an organic formulation of Spinosad to help reduce the density of the population.
Fruit removal will occur within 100 meters of properties with mated females, larval detections, or multiple adult detections.
According to the CDFA, the sterile fly release program has been largely successful in California. Essentially, sterile male flies mate with fertile female flies in the natural environment but do not produce offspring.
Thus, the fly population decreases as the wild flies reach the end of their lives with no offspring to replace them, ultimately resulting in the eradication of the pest. A joint CDFA and USDA sterile insect-rearing facility in Los Alamitos provides the sterile male flies.
According to the press release, the quarantine will affect any growers, wholesalers, and retailers of susceptible fruit in the area as well as residents. Home gardeners are urged to consume homegrown produce on-site and not remove it from the property.
Medflies target more than 250 types of fruits and vegetables, and damage occurs when the female lays eggs inside the fruit. The eggs hatch into maggots that tunnel through the flesh of the fruit, making it unfit for consumption.
Residents who believe their fruits and vegetables are infested with fruit fly larvae are encouraged to call the State’s toll-free Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899 or email reportapest@cdfa.ca.gov.
AVIAN INFLUENZA
Three Central Valley dairies were placed under quarantine after highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed within the herds. According to the CDFA, when herds began showing symptoms of HPAI on Aug. 25, samples were submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety laboratory network and then to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory, where the results were confirmed.
The affected dairies were placed under quarantine by the authority of CDFA’s State Veterinarian. Sick cows are isolated and are being treated at the dairies, and healthy cows have been cleared to continue shipping milk for pasteurization.
No human cases have been confirmed in California, but the state’s Department of Public Health is working with CDFA and local health departments to monitor any individuals who may have been exposed to infected animals.
According to CDPH and the Centers for Disease Control, the avian influenza virus is not considered a significant public health threat, and the risk to humans is considered low.
Additionally, California’s supply of milk and dairy foods is safe and has not been impacted. In line with longstanding state and federal requirements, milk from sick cows is not permitted in the public milk supply. Still, the pasteurization of milk is fully effective at inactivating the virus, so there is no cause for concern for consumers from milk or dairy products.
“We have been preparing for this possibility since earlier this year when HPAI detections were confirmed at dairy farms in other states,” CDFA Secretary Karen Ross said. “Our extensive experience with HPAI in poultry has given us ample preparation and expertise to address this incident, with workers’ health and public health as our top priorities. This is a tough time for our dairy farmers, given the economic challenges they’re facing in a dynamic market, so I want to assure them that we are approaching this incident with the utmost urgency.”
Most infected livestock and dairy cattle recover from the virus within a few weeks. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, common clinical signs in affected cows include low appetite, reduced milk production, and abnormal appearance of milk, such as thickness or discoloration.
DAIRY CATTLE PULLED FROM FAIR
As a precautionary measure, several California county fairs have pulled FFA and 4H dairy cattle shows in light of the avian influenza outbreak. Along with affecting three Central Valley operations, the virus has been found nationwide in 14 states and 196 herds.
The Kern County Fair, which ran from Sept. 18 to Sept. 29, worked closely with CDFA leading up to the fair to update its five dairy cattle events.
“With the confirmed cases in Tulare County dairies, the safety and health of our exhibitors, their families, our fairgoers, and the dairy cattle industry remain our top priority,” a Kern County Fair press release stated.
This year, the dairy birthing area was converted to a viewing area where a local beef producer brought cow-calf pairs for display. The 2024 Dairy Replacement Heifer Show and Sale were canceled, but FFA and 4H members had a virtual option to show their cattle.
While dairy cattle in Division 202 were able to be shown, participation was optional due to concerns about Avian Flu. To enhance biosecurity, dairy cattle were grouped by origin and kept in a separate section of the barn, away from fairgoers. Exhibitors of 2025 Springer Futurity Heifers remained eligible to participate even if they skipped the 2024 show.
In a similar vein, the Fresno County Fair, which runs Oct. 2 to Oct. 14, announced updates for its dairy cattle events, explaining that no lactating cows will be present at the fairgrounds or in the milk quality contest and milking demonstrations.
Fair officials considered two possible options for modifying the livestock exhibits. One plan included the onsite exhibition of dairy cows that are tested in advance and movement limitations set by CDFA to prevent the cows from co-mingling. Another possibility included not having dairy cows on site but allowing students to submit videos of their animals for judging along with an opportunity to sell their animal projects virtually.
