WASHINGTON, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — In response to the appearance of the Mexican fruit fly in Texas’s Lower Rio Grande Valley, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA for short in English) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS for short in English) today launched a multimedia information and rapid response campaign to raise public awareness about the urgency of discarding fruits that are potentially infected with the insect.
The Mexican fruit fly, an invasive and destructive species, is attacking and putting at risk citrus fruits such as grapefruit, oranges and lemons, especially in the counties of Hidalgo, Webb and Zapata, where quarantines are now in force by order of the authorities.
The campaign seeks to involve Spanish-speaking immigrants from colonias who have fruit in their trees to consume and / or discard the fruits, and to know the risk of significant damage to their crops and jobs. The rapid response effort includes public service announcements, interviews, and access to plant health inspection experts, through local broadcasters affiliated with the Hispanic Network.
“If residents have fruit on their trees they don’t plan to eat or that have fallen, they should put them in double bags and throw them away. If a Mexican fruit fly trap on the property has been damaged or moved, it is necessary to contact the local office in McAllen at (956) 632-5300 immediately,” said APHIS expert Joseph Ramirez.
The campaign will make APHIS experts available to the media to discuss specific actions to be taken by residents of Colonias, to clarify any health questions, and to put them in touch with informational resources and human assistance in the state of Texas.
The site with information on the quarantine and resources is PlagasHambrientas.com
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/841058/2412007_Mosca_Mexicana_de_la_Fruta.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/841061/2412007_Mosca_Mexicana_de_la_Fruta.jpg
SOURCE Hispanic Communications Network
