The Oriental Fruit Fly Eradication Program in Miami-Dade County—Why it Worked

Abstract

In late August 2015, an unprecedented number of Oriental fruit flies (OFF) were found in the agriculturally rich area of Homestead, FL. Previous detections of this destructive pest in Florida were limited to no more than a few flies which were quickly trapped and destroyed. The number of flies found, combined with a find of live larvae in fallen fruit, prompted the Oriental Fruit Fly Eradication Program and an 85 square-mile quarantine area (which would eventually grow to 98 square miles). The Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, is taken extremely seriously because the species has a host list of well over 400 plants, including most of the fruit and vegetables grown in Miami-Dade, as well as some ornamental plants. The quarantine began on 2 Sept. 2015, and ended on 13 Feb. 2016, after the OFF was successfully eradicated from the Homestead area. The OFF eradication program worked because it brought together the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services–Division of Plant Industry, USDA–APHIS-Plant Protection Quarantine, the University of Florida, UF/IFAS Miami-Dade County Extension, Miami-Dade County government, and the entire agricultural industry of Miami-Dade County, FL, to work toward a common goal. The collaboration and dedi-cation of these agencies and institutions, along with the incredible response from the entire local agricultural industry and the highly effective trap and kill program used by the USDA and FDACS were crucial in eradicating the Oriental fruit fly and saving the multi-million dollar Miami-Dade County agricultural industry.