European grapevine moth in Fresno County

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Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner Carol Hafner held a news conference yesterday to outline efforts to combat European grapevine moth after three were detected last week in Fresno County. The ag commissioner's office has been monitoring thousands of traps in the county as part of a statewide program to detect the invasive pest.

On April 28, the officials confirmed that two European grapevine moths were found in separate traps about a half mile apart in vineyards southeast of the city of Fresno. On May 1, one moth was found in a trap in the Kingsburg area.

Grape production is the No. 1 ag industry in Fresno County, with an annual value of more than $700 million. The new threat to the industry posed by European grapevine moth was covered widely by local media, including:

Earlier this week, the Fresno Bee reported that USDA is providing California with an additional $1 million to help fight the spread of the European grapevine moth, now found in five California counties. The federal agency had already allocated $1.7 million to deal with the pest.

"The impact on the wine, table and raisin grape industries could be significant if there is a widespread infestation," the Bee quoted A.G. Kawamura, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. "Our goal is find out where it is and shut it down."

Fresno grape industry threated by exotic pest.