California Growers Warn Costco Grapevines Sold Across 6 Counties Carried Invasive Sharpshooter
Updated
Updated · KCRA Sacramento · May 28
California Growers Warn Costco Grapevines Sold Across 6 Counties Carried Invasive Sharpshooter
4 articles · Updated · KCRA Sacramento · May 28
Sacramento County officials said grapevines and other Burchell Nursery plants sold at Costco from April 21 to May 21 were found carrying the glassy-winged sharpshooter and may still be in customers’ yards.
The insect can spread Pierce’s disease, which yellows, shrivels and eventually kills grapevines, prompting growers to warn an outbreak could devastate vineyard regions such as Napa.
The alert covers 6 Northern California counties — Sacramento, Yolo, Napa, Sonoma, Marin and Solano — after the infested plants were traced to a Fresno County nursery.
Residents who bought the plants are being told not to plant, move or discard them, but to isolate them and contact local agricultural commissioners for same-day inspection and removal.
Agricultural crews are deploying yellow sticky traps and other monitoring tools as officials try to protect California’s large grape-growing industry from a wider spread.
A 'vine-killing' pest was sold at Costco stores. Could it be hiding in your backyard now?
One nursery's mistake has put California's entire wine industry on high alert. What happens next?