- Jun 15, 2008
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According to Associated Press ...there is a major pest invasion by the European Grapevine Moth (Lobesia botrana) since last September in the Napa Valley, California that threatens the wine industry. This pest as well as viruses was most likely braught in by suitcase smuggling of selected varieties of grape cuttings from Europe. This practice is done to circumvent years of quarantene by USDA and UC Davis Foundation Plant Services to test imported plants for pests and diseases. Or more sinister, by someone deliberately introdusing these pests to gain an economic edge in a region where an acre of fruit can sell for $15,000 and more. Then can fetch hundreds of dollars per bottle of fine cabernet wine. Since these new pests and diseases now threaten the country's most expensive and economically productive farmland, the state of California and USDA is clamping a quarantine across the heart of Napa Valley . Expect them to start an spraying program to erradicate these pests. The area's farmers are readying their pesticides to save their own vineyards as their own livelyhood is at stake. Every few years when the Mediteranian Fruit fly makes it's appearance anywhere in California from imported, smuggled, or illegally braught in fruit, there are major pesticide sprayings for 10 square miles of lands around a fly trap site that traps even a single fly. ALL lands are sprayed no matter if in the City backyard or Farm Country, organic or conventional, protested or not. Expect the same accross the Napa Valley. There are people who feel they are above the law and/or that they know better and so they will do whatever they like.
