Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Lifted in Orange County

Good news out of Orange County—the Oriental fruit fly quarantine has officially been lifted. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, or CDFA, that announcement comes thanks to the teamwork of residents, local officials, and state and federal partners.

The Oriental fruit fly is no small concern. It can infest over 250 types of crops—everything from citrus to veggies—by laying eggs directly into the produce. An outbreak discovered in November 2024 led to a quarantine that impacted parts of Garden Grove, Anaheim, Santa Ana, and surrounding areas.

During that time, both backyard growers and commercial farms had strict limits on moving or selling host crops.

Victoria Hornbaker with CDFA says collaboration was key—but adds that the work’s not over. Invasive pests like this are popping up more and more across the state, and staying ahead means staying alert.

Residents can help by cooperating with agriculture crews, avoiding uninspected produce from out-of-state, and reporting anything suspicious in their gardens.

Learn more about how to keep your crops—and California’s ag economy—safe at CDFA.ca.gov.