SPRO letters are official communication from the APHIS PPQ Deputy Administrator advising State Plant Regulatory Officials of significant and timely changes to phytosanitary regulations or emerging phytosanitary issues. Despite our best efforts, this collection of SPRO letters may not be complete and topical concerns should be addressed through your APHIS PPQ State Plant Health Director
(click on the state you are interested in once the APHIS web page loads). If you have a SPRO letter not listed below, please forward the document to the webmaster. SPRO letters are posted without editing. More current SPRO letters may supercede previous postings.
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APHIS Actions
Asian Longhorned Beetle
- September 12, 2019 APHIS Removes the Remaining Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) Regulated Area in Brooklyn and Queens, New York
- October 29, 2018 APHIS Removes a Portion of the Township of Monroe, Clermont County, Ohio, from the Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) Regulated Area
- June 13, 2018 APHIS Removes Portions of the Townships of Batavia and Stonelick, Clermont County, Ohio, from the Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) Quarantine
- Archived Asian Longhorned Beetle Letters
European Grapevine Moth
Citrus
- September 20, 2019 APHIS Adds Portions of Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Harris Counties in Texas to the Domestic Canker (Xanthomonas spp.) Quarantine Area
- September 17, 2019 APHIS Establishes an Asian Citrus Psyllid (Diaphorina citri) Quarantined Area in Nevada
- August 19, 2019 APHIS Expands the Citrus Greening Quarantined Area in California, Texas, and Louisiana.
- July 25, 2019 APHIS Updates the Citrus Black Spot (Guignardia citricarpa) Quarantine Area in Florida
- August 10, 2018 APHIS Updates the Citrus Black Spot (Guignardia citricarpa) Quarantine Area in Florida
- April 25, 2018 APHIS Expands the Citrus Greening (Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus) Quarantined Area in Texas
- April 17, 2018 APHIS Adds Portions of Fort Bend and Harris Counties in Texas to the Domestic Citrus Canker (Xanthomonas spp.) Quarantine Area
- Archived Citrus Related SPRO Letters
Emerald Ash Borer
- August 2, 2019 APHIS adds portions of Alabama, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Maine to the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) Regulated Area
- December 20, 2018 APHIS Adds All of Michigan, All of New Hampshire, All of Rhode Island, and Wright County in Minnesota to the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) Regulated Area
- July 26, 2018 APHIS adds all of Minnehaha County, areas in Lincoln County, and areas in Turner County in South Dakota to the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) Regulated Area
- July 26, 2018 APHIS Adds Wisconsin to the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) Regulated Area
- June 21, 2018 APHIS Adds All of Arkansas and Shawnee County, Kansas, to the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) Regulated Area
- June 7, 2018 APHIS Adds Vermont to the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) Regulated Area
- February 23, 2018 APHIS Adds Bienville, Jackson, Morehouse, and Ouachita Counties in Louisiana; Martin County in Minnesota; Strafford County in New Hampshire; and the entire State of Georgia to the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) Regulated Area
- Archived Emerald Ash Borer SPRO Letters
Fruit Flies
- October 17, 2019 APHIS Removes Four Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantines in Texas (Laredo, San Ygnacio, Zapata, Arroyo City) .
- September 17, 2019 APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Edinburg, Hidalgo County, Texas
- July 25, 2019 APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in the Long Beach Area of Los Angeles County, California
- June 25, 2019 APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in San Ygnacio, Zapata County, Texas
- June 10, 2019 APHIS Modifies Conditions for Interstate Movement of Regulated Articles in Quarantined Areas for European Cherry Fruit Fly (Rhagoletis cerasi)
- June 4, 2019 APHIS Removes the Oriental Fruit Fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) Quarantine in Sacramento Area of Sacramento and Yolo Counties, California
- May 30, 2019 APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in La Feria, Cameron County, Texas
- May 22, 2019 APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Arroyo City, Cameron County, Texas
- May 20, 2019 APHIS Expands the European Cherry Fruit Fly (Rhagoletis cerasi) Quarantine in Niagara, Erie, and Orleans Counties, New York
- May 13, 2019 – APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas
- May 7, 2019 – APHIS Establishes Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantines in Sullivan City, Hidalgo County and Salineño, Starr County, Texas
- March 14, 2019 – APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Edinburg, Hidalgo County, Texas
- March 9, 2019 -APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Zapata, Zapata County, Texas
- Archived Fruit Fly SPRO Letters
Gypsy Moth
- September 5, 2019 APHIS Adds the Entire State of Maine to the Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar) Regulated Area
- Archived Gypsy Moth SPRO Letters
Imported Fire Ant
- April 17, 2018 Expansion of Quarantine Areas for the Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren, S. richteri Forel, and hybrids of these species) in North Carolina and Tennessee
- Archived Imported Fire Ants
Import/Export Conditions – Permitting
- August 9, 2019 APHIS Amends Entry Requirements for Importation of Tomato and Pepper Seeds from
All Countries into the United States - October 29, 2018 APHIS Amends Requirements for Fresh Blueberry Fruit (Vaccinium spp.) Imported from Chile into the United States
- October 4, 2018 – APHIS Rescinds Federal Order Prohibiting the Importation of Pomegranate Arils from Peru and Restricts Pomegranate Arils from Peru, India, and All Other Countries
- Archived Import/Export Condition – Permitting SPRO Letters
Light Brown Apple Moth
- April 25, 2018 APHIS Adds Seed and Underground Crops to the Exempted Host List for the Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) in California
- Archived Light Brown Apple Moth SPRO Letters
Miscellaneous Pests
- November 15, 2019 Federal Order for U.S. Imports of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and pepper (Capsicum spp.) hosts of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV)
- August 7, 2019 APHIS Provides an Update on Spotted Lanternfly Activities
- August 1, 2019 Federal Order for U.S. Imports of Hosts of Tomato Leaf Miner (Tuta absoluta)
- February 14, 2019 APHIS Updates Regulated Areas in Miami-Dade County for Giant African Snail (Lissachatina fulica, formally Achatina fulica)
- Archived Miscellaneous Pests SPRO Letters
Phytophthora ramorum
- July 10, 2019 APHIS Confirms Detection of Phytophthora ramorum-Infected Plants in Commerce
- Phytophthora ramorum SPRO Letters
Pine Shoot Beetle, Tomicus piniperda
Plum Pox
- October 18, 2019 APHIS Removes Plum Pox Virus Regulated Areas in Orange and Ulster Counties, New York
- Archived Plum Pox SPRO Letters
Potatoes
- February 11, 2019 – APHIS Adds Pale Cyst Nematode (Globodera pallida) Infested Field and Removes Other Fields from Regulation in Idaho
- Archived Potato Related SPRO Letters
Rusts, Smuts, and Bunts
- May 20, 2019 APHIS Amends Karnal Bunt (Tilletia indica) Regulated Areas in La Paz, Maricopa, and Pinal Counties in Arizona
- April 5, 2018 APHIS Amends Karnal Bunt (Tilletia indica) Regulated Areas in Maricopa and Pinal Counties in Arizona
- Archived Rusts, Smuts and Bunts SPRO Letters