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.
Click on a category, or scroll down to view lists
APHIS Actions
Asian Longhorned Beetle
- May 21, 2021 APHIS Adds Portions of Charleston and Dorchester Counties, South Carolina to the Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) Quarantine Area
- October 15, 2020 APHIS Establishes an Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) Quarantine Area in Charleston County, South Carolina
- 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
Moths: European grapevine moth, gypsy moth, box tree moth, light brown apple moth
- May 26, 2021 APHIS Amends Entry Requirements for Importation of Boxwood, Euonymus, and Holly from Canada into the United States
- March 3, 2020 APHIS Amends Entry Requirements for Importation of Boxwood, Euonymus, and Holly from Canada into the United States
- September 5, 2019 APHIS Adds the Entire State of Maine to the Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar) Regulated Area
- 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
- Archived Gypsy Moth SPRO Letters
- Archived European Grapevine Moth SPRO Letters
Citrus
- June 30, 2020 APHIS adds portions of Cameron County in Texas to the Domestic Citrus Canker (Xanthomonas spp.) Quarantine Area
- February 7, 2020 APHIS Expands the Huanglongbing Quarantined Area in California
- December 18, 2019 APHIS Expands the Citrus Greening Quarantined Area in California
- December 2, 2019 APHIS Expands the Citrus Greening Quarantined Area in Texas
- 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
- Archived Emerald Ash Borer SPRO Letters
Fruit Flies
- July 14, 2021 APHIS Establishes an Amended Host List for the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens)
- June 30, 2021 APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Lasara, Willacy County, Texas
- June 17, 2021 APHIS Reduces the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in
Cameron County, Texas - May 28, 2021 APHIS Expands the European Cherry Fruit Fly (Rhagoletis cerasi) Quarantine to include all of Monroe and Wayne Counties, New York
- November 5, 2020 APHIS Establishes Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Lasara, Willacy County, Texas
- September 29, 2020 APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Laredo, Webb County, and Zapata, Zapata County, Texas
- September 9, 2020 APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Harlingen, Cameron County, Texas
- July 29, 2020 APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Lasara, Willacy County, Texas
- July 14, 2020 APHIS Removes the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) Quarantine Area in Devore, San Bernardino County, California
- June 3, 2020 APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Zapata, Zapata County, Texas
- May 20, 2020 APHIS Modifies Conditions for Interstate Movement of Regulated Articles in Quarantined Areas for European Cherry Fruit Fly (Rhagoletis cerasi)
- March 12, 2020 APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Laredo, Webb County, Texas
- March 3, 2020 APHIS Expands the European Cheny Fruit Fly (Rhagoletis cerasi) Quarantine to include all of Orleans County, New York
- February 27, 2020 APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Cameron County, Texas
- February 12, 2020 APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in Lasara, Willacy County, Texas
- December 17, 2019 APHIS Establishes Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) Quarantine Area in Devore, San Bernardino, California
- December 2, 2019 APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in La Feria, Cameron County, Texas
- December 2, 2019 APHIS Removes Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantines in Mission and Sullivan City, Hidalgo County, Texas
- Archived Fruit Fly SPRO Letters
Imported Fire Ant
- June 17, 2021 Expansion of Quarantine Areas for the Imported Fire Ant (Solenopis invicta Buren, S. richteri Forel, and hybrids of these species) in Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Virginia
- 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
- April 1, 2021 APHIS Amends Import Requirements for Plums from Chile
- 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
Miscellaneous Pests
- June 17, 2021 APHIS Removes Zones BB and W from the Giant African Snail (Lissachatina fulica, formally Achatina fulica) List of Regulated Areas
- May 21, 2021 APHIS amends Federal Order for Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) Import Restrictions
- April 20, 2021 APHIS Removes Zone B from the Giant African Snail (Lissachatina fulica, formally Achatina fulica) List of Regulated Areas
- March 4, 2021 APHIS Removes Zone AA from the Giant African Snail (Lissachatina fulica, formally Achatina fulica) List of Regulated Areas
- February 17, 2021 APHIS Removes Zone G from the Giant African Snail (Lissachatina fulica, formally Achatina fulica) List of Regulated Areas
- August 18, 2020 APHIS Removes Zone Y from the Giant African Snail (Lissachatina fulica, formally Achatina fulica) List of Regulated Areas
- June 3, 2020 APHIS amends Federal Order for U.S. Imports of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and pepper (Capsicum spp.) hosts of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV)
- April 21, 2020 Detection of Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 in a United States Greenhouse
- 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
- May 21, 2021 APHIS Adds Del Norte County in California to Phytophthora ramorum Quarantine Area
- 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
- March 19, 2021 – APHIS Adds Pale Cyst Nematode (Globodera pallida) Associated Fields and Removes Other Fields from Regulation in Idaho
- January 17, 2020 – APHIS Adds Pale Cyst Nematode (Globodera pallida) Infested Field and Removes Other Fields from Regulation in Idaho
- 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
- February 4, 2020 APHIS Amends Karnal Bunt (Tilletia indica) Regulated Areas in La Paz, Maricopa, and Pinal Counties in Arizona
- 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