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Brief History of San Joaquin Valley Citrus Pest Control Districts

A map showing various pest control districts in a region with geographical features in the background.
Pest Control Districts of SJVYear Established#GrowersLand AcreCitrus Acre**Assessment rates
Southern Tulare19391,01631,99745,184$ 11.41
Tulare County19472,51491,868133,804$ 5.00
West Fresno*195856726,81025,701$ 1.50
Central Valley195859321,46934,062$ 9.50
Kern County196031964,00490,356$ 10.76

*not sure about the accuracy of West Fresno’s Assessment rates and Citrus acreage

**County assessed acres= 100-tree/acre

YearActivities in the History of Pest Control Districts
1939California red scale was first reported in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) counties.
1939Citrus Pest District Control Act was to "make available a procedure for the organization, operation, government and dissolution of districts for the more effective control and eradication of citrous [sic] pests.”
1939-1963Pest Control Districts were formed in the valley. These early PCD’s were formed primarily to fight California Red Scale and Citrus Tristeza Virus. Southern Tulare County PCD was formed in 1939, Tulare County PCD in 1947, both Central Valley PCD and West Fresno Red Scale Protective District in 1958, and Kern County PCD in 1960.
1956-1959Tristeza Virus was first detected in the SJV.
1960The five SJV PCDs consolidated in March 1960 to form the Central California Citrus Pest Control Agency (CCCPCA).
1963The discovery of the Citrus tristeza virus, the cause of quick decline disease, complicated the management of the San Joaquin Valley PCDs. The CCCPCA began a program of inspection and removal of CTV-infected trees in 1963.
1968The CCCPCA rebranded as Central California Tristeza Eradication Agency (CCTEA) to focus on Tristeza Quick Decline epidemic.
1995West Fresno RSPD withdrew from the program due to cost issues and low detection numbers.
1996Tulare County PCD withdrew from the program because of grower objection to heavy tree removal.
1996-presentCentral Valley PCD, Southern Tulare County Citrus PCD, and Kern County Citrus PCD continue to operate CCTEA in a Joint Powers Agreement.
1998CCTEA Operational Plan evaluated by both the CCTEA Board of Commissioners and the Technical Advisory Committee for the eradication program. It was determined that the removal of CTV-infected trees had been effective based on survey results. The committee recommended that eradication should continue but an aggressive removal program is no longer necessary.
1997-2000Kern County Pest Control District and the CCTEA filed suit against a group of growers who refused to remove CTV- infected trees; 3 groves were > 70% infected. Both the Kern County Superior Court and the 5th District Court of Appeals ruled in favor of tree removal. Known infected trees were removed immediately and groves were re-surveyed.
1998-2002CCTEA implemented a new Operational Plan based on maintenance components that included a new Systematic Subsampling Survey of 25% of citrus acreage per year using the Hierarchical Survey Method; removing as many CTV infected trees as resources allowed; and the weekly monitoring of virus titer in commercial trees.
2002-2007CCTEA Operational Plan revised to decrease the annual systematic subsampling acreage to 20% annually (5-yr rotation). During 2002, a greater emphasis will be placed on the Collection Priority List to keep incidence in a single grove below 1.0%.
2007CTV detection in the Lindcove Field Station (LREC) increases dramatically.
2008-presentTCPCD forms a special abatement district to protect LREC and the Citrus Clonal Protection Program (CCPP). Aphid treatments in a 2-mile buffer of LREC begin. Treatment program consists of a spring foliar treatment with Assail, Actara, Exirel or Sivanto and a fall soil treatment with imidacloprid. Treatment, Tristeza testing, and tree removal program is funded by TCPCD. Testing and Tree removal is 1-mile from LREC with MCA13+ reactive tree removal.
2009CCTEA adopted a new ELISA protocol where only MCA13+ trees would be removed, due to an increase in CTV in buffer areas with non-active PCD’s.
2020-presentLREC stops removing non-severe CTV infected trees in research blocks, MCA13+ reactive CTV removal continues.
2022ACP was discovered at the old Kaweah Packing House in Lemon Cove near LREC. TCPCD declares an emergency proclamation and funds treatment of 25+ tree property in residential area near packing house. Citrus Yellow Vein Clearing Virus was discovered in Tulare, CA.
January-2023TCPCD convenes the Science Advisory Panel to discuss the future of CTV and the Aphid treatment program around LREC due to budgetary constraints. The Science Advisory Panel recommends continuing CTV program for at least one more year, but to move to a multi-pest detection survey.
March-2023TCPCD is considering increasing the per acre assessment, currently at $5 per 100 tree acre, to maintain the Aphid and CTV program at LREC and to address future pest issues within TCPCD.
June-2023TCPCD is considering rejoining the CCTEA JPA to reunite the Citrus Pest Control Districts in the San Joaquin Valley. CCTEA Board moves to rebrand and change the name from the “Central Valley Tristeza Eradication Agency” to the “Alliance of Pest Control Districts”. These moves are necessary to improve our position, advocate for the industry, increase local control, increase government funding, reduce duplication of efforts, and discover opportunities to work more cooperatively with CDFA in a united effort to confront the future. We need to stop looking in the rearview mirror if we are to move forward!
July-2024TCPCD officially joins the Alliance of Pest Control District. Now the APCD serves the citrus growers in the entire Kern County (KCCPCD), the entire Tulare County (TCPCD and STCCPCD), and a portion of Fresno County (CVPCD).