San Jose Retrieves 1,300 Costco Grapevines Over Sharpshooter Threat, Starting Months of Monitoring
Updated
Updated · NBC Bay Area · Jul 16
San Jose Retrieves 1,300 Costco Grapevines Over Sharpshooter Threat, Starting Months of Monitoring
3 articles · Updated · NBC Bay Area · Jul 16
Summary
San Jose agricultural crews went door-to-door Wednesday to recover grapevine plants sold at Costco, widening Santa Clara County’s effort to pull about 1,300 potentially infested vines from homes.
Lab teams are examining the plants for glassy-winged sharpshooter eggs because the insect can spread Pierce’s disease, a crop threat that extends beyond grapevines to citrus and other local plants.
Gilroy crews also resumed pickups after notices went out Monday, with officials saying retrieval is progressing but will take at least a couple of months to finish countywide.
After collections end, the county plans to place sharpshooter traps at regular intervals to detect any insects that may already have escaped into the community.
Officials said San Jose poses a bigger logistical challenge because more buyers are concentrated there, and they urged anyone who bought the vines but has not been contacted to call the Agricultural Division.
With thousands of 'ticking time bomb' plants sold statewide, is a door-to-door search enough to stop a plague on California's vineyards?
A single nursery's error threatens California's $73B wine industry. How can the state stop the next agricultural crisis from being sold in stores?
$4 Billion at Risk: The 2026 Santa Clara Grapevine Recall and California's Fight Against Pierce's Disease
Overview
In July 2026, Santa Clara County faced an urgent recall of grapevine plants after a disease was detected in a large number of vines distributed quickly across the region. The California Department of Food and Agriculture confirmed that affected grapevines were sold in many counties, making the recall effort critical. County officials focused on retrieving the plants and stopping the disease’s spread, but their success depended on strong cooperation from residents. Despite the scale of the crisis, there was cautious optimism that, with public support, most plants could be recovered and the threat contained.