New Mexico Department of Agriculture reminds public of pecan regulations

New Mexico Department of Agriculture reminds public of pecan regulations Officials offer tips for residential pecan tree owners on how to help prevent the spread of pecan weevil (Las Cruces, New Mexico) – Officials at the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) held a news conference today to remind the public about state regulations regarding pecans. An emergency pecan weevil quarantine began Nov. 20 and remains in effect for 180 days for Chaves, Curry, Eddy and Lea counties. Also, New Mexico’s exterior pecan weevil quarantine that was enacted in 1997 restricts the movement of in-shell pecans originating in all states except Arizona, California and the Texas counties of El Paso and Hudspeth, as well as parts of Culberson County. The New Mexico Pecan Growers Association and NMDA are asking homeowners with pecan trees to help with slowing the spread of pecan weevil and help with eradication efforts of pecan weevil in residential trees. First, New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte advocates for homeowners to help by determining whether their pecan tree is infested with pecan weevil. A number of websites are available that illustrate pecan damage caused by pecan weevil, including the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service website at http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/CR683.pdf. If you’re not able to determine whether your trees are infested, please contact your county extension office (http://aces.nmsu.edu/county/) or NMDA at 575-646-3007 or blewis@nmda.nmsu.edu. Second, if you determine your pecan tree has pecan weevil and you have not already been included in a treatment program, please call your county extension office or NMDA to provide your contact information. Local pest control companies are currently conducting eradication at no charge to the homeowner. Third, if your trees are infested, please help prevent the spread of pecan weevil by following these rules:  Pick up nuts as soon as they fall to the ground, and keep those nuts in a sealed container to prevent immature weevil from leaving the nut and burrowing into the ground.  If you are taking your residential nuts to a buyer, place them in a sturdy, sealed container and sell to a reputable buyer within your community.  Do not transport your residential nuts to a commercial pecan farm. Infested or potentially infested nuts may be disposed of by double bagging them and placing them in a sealed trash container for pick up by your community sanitation department. Fourth, please be aware of the quarantine rules in your area. There are a number of restrictions to moving in-shell pecans from Lea, Curry, Chaves and Eddy counties to other New Mexico counties. In the past, pecan buyers in Dona Ana County have accepted residential pecans from eastern New Mexico counties. Now, buyers across the state are required to obtain identification and contact information from the homeowner, as well as information regarding where the pecans originated. The main reason for this requirement is to help identify pecan weevil infested areas. An indirect consequence of requesting identification is that it may help reduce pecan theft. Quarantine violations may result in seizure of pecan loads without reimbursement. Secretary Witte said NMDA’s vision includes working for the benefit of the state’s citizens and supporting the viability of agriculture, which includes pecan consumers and growers. “NMDA inspectors will be checking pecan buyers in the state – including Dona Ana County – to ensure they are in compliance with current regulations,” Witte said. Phillip Arnold, New Mexico Pecan Growers Association President, said the weevil is a threat to the industry. “Pecan weevil spreads by people transporting infested nuts or equipment with infested nuts from one area to another,” said Arnold. Another concern of the New Mexico Pecan Growers Association is increased pecan theft on growers’ properties. Pecan growers in Doña Ana County recently approached NMDA and the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department regarding assistance with ensuring regulations are enforced and regarding increased theft they’re experiencing this season. Doña Ana County Sheriff Enrique “Kiki” Vigil has pledged his department’s assistance in cracking down on pecan theft, and ensures thieves will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. “Our pecan farms in Doña Ana County are already seeing an increased presence of patrol deputies,” said Vigil. “With potential quarantines looming, pecan thieves aren’t just part of a criminal problem, they’re part of a public safety problem. With these new identification requirements, thieves are going to find out it’s not worth anything but the threat of being arrested to steal pecans in Doña Ana County.” Although NMDA officials are primarily targeting known pecan weevil infested communities in the four affected counties, they are also interested in any new pecan weevil findings in the state. “Containment and eradication of pecan weevil is very difficult and takes many years, but the effort is worthwhile in order to slow or prevent its movement into our commercial pecan orchards,” Witte said. The quarantine rule may be viewed in its entirety at www.nmda.nmsu.edu. – NMDA