The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has expanded the Japanese beetle quarantine zone and updated its regulations to prevent the spread of the invasive pest.
The changes, which take effect on September 15, expand the quarantine area beyond Grandview to include Sunnyside, Outlook, Mabton, and parts of Benton County.
Initially established in 2022 to cover 49 square miles in the Grandview area, the quarantine now includes these new areas following recent detections of Japanese beetles outside the initial zone.
The invasive beetles, first detected in the region in 2021, pose a significant threat to agriculture and can be easily spread through soil, yard waste, and vegetation.
The updated quarantine rules add soil samples to the list of regulated materials and clarify that cut flowers exposed to open air during harvest or transportation are also subject to restrictions.
Businesses within the quarantine zone that sell regulated items, such as soil and cut flowers, must now post signage alerting customers that they cannot transport these items outside the quarantine area.
To help residents comply with the regulations and prevent further spread, two yard waste drop-off sites have been established within the quarantine area.
Residents can dispose of yard waste for free.
The WSDA continues to monitor the spread of Japanese beetles and urges the public to comply with the quarantine measures to protect Washington’s agriculture and environment.
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