Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced that the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has enacted an emergency quarantine to stop the spread of the invasive two-spotted cotton leafhopper, also known as the cotton jassid. Native to Asia, the pest has spread across the southeastern United States and is now threatening Texas’ cotton industry, which produces 40% of the nation’s supply.
“Texas cotton farmers are the backbone of our economy and our communities,” Commissioner Miller said in a statement. “Texas grows 40% of the cotton grown in the US, making this pest a major threat to our supply. I won’t let a threat like the cotton jassid harm our farmers, ranchers, nurseries, or landscapes. We’re taking aggressive steps to stop this pest in its tracks.”
The quarantine applies to shipments from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas counties where the pest has been detected. Under the order, movement of living host plants without proper phytosanitary certification is prohibited.
TDA has issued several additional emergency regulatory actions. These include the destruction of infested hibiscus and other host plants, rejection of nursery stock shipments lacking inspection documents, and enhanced monitoring at Texas border road stations and retail nurseries. Trucks transporting regulated products without compliance may be impounded and subject to forfeiture. Expanded statewide inspections are also underway, conducted jointly with USDA and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.
The pest, Amrasca biguttula, damages crops such as cotton, hibiscus, okra, eggplant, and sunflowers. Infestations can cause “hopperburn” — yellowing, curling, and stunting of plants — with crop losses reported as high as 50 percent. According to TDA, several positive samples have already been confirmed across Texas following more than 400 inspections.
Commissioner Miller urged cooperation from growers, retailers, and consumers. “If you’re a grower, a retailer, or a consumer, we need you on the lookout,” he said. “Don’t move infested plants, report anything suspicious, and know that your Department of Agriculture is hitting the ground running to keep this pest from taking root in our state. Just like the New World Screwworm, TDA is fighting it aggressively, quickly, and with every resource at our disposal.”
The emergency order is effective immediately and will remain in place until modified or rescinded. Details on quarantined areas, treatment requirements, and regulated articles are available on the TDA Plant Quality Program website. Anyone suspecting cotton jassid infestations is urged to contact TDA at PlantQuality@TexasAgriculture.gov or (512) 463-7660.
