The Ohio Department of Agriculture issued a statewide quarantine for the invasive spotted lanternfly effective immediately.
This expansion follows a previous order that applied to only 18 counties across the state.
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The quarantine regulates the movement of trees and nursery stock.
Under the new rules, these products may not be moved out of the state without a compliance agreement, a permit, or an inspection certificate. The restriction applies to any item at risk of spreading the invasive insect.
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Producers who ship regulated products to areas that do not have spotted lanternfly infestations must have their inventory inspected.
Each load must be accompanied by a certificate that confirms the product is free of the pest.
The department has also updated its recommendations for the general public.
State officials are no longer encouraging community members to report sightings of the spotted lanternfly in Ohio.
Instead, residents can find treatment methods for the pest on their own property by consulting the official Spotted Lanternfly Management Guide provided by the agency.
Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge said the agency is working with specific agricultural sectors to mitigate the spread.
The insect is native to Asia and is known to damage several plant species, including apples, hops, and grapes.
It poses a significant threat to Ohio’s wine industry, which generates more than $6 billion in annual economic activity for the state.
An invasive tree known as the tree of heaven serves as the primary host for the pest.
The spotted lanternfly was first detected in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014 after likely arriving through imported goods.
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