Remember All You Santa Clauses, Don’t Pack a Pest

December 23, 2025

San Diego County officials are urging residents to be cautious about inadvertently transporting harmful pests and plant diseases during the busy holiday shipping season. Various agricultural threats, including spongy moth eggs, citrus greening disease, and mealybugs, can hide in homemade gifts, wreaths, fruit, and other plant materials being sent or brought back from travels. These invasive species pose serious risks to the county's $1.

Who is affected

San Diego County residents sending and receiving holiday shipments
San Diego County's agricultural industry (valued at $1.67 billion)
Communities under citrus greening quarantine (Fallbrook, Oceanside, Rancho Bernardo, and Valley Center)
San Diego County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures inspectors and detector dogs
Local environment and ecosystems in San Diego County

What action is being taken

San Diego County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures inspectors (human and detector dogs) are working to stop the spread of invasive pests into the county
The state Department of Food and Agriculture has declared ongoing citrus greening quarantine areas in Fallbrook, Oceanside, Rancho Bernardo and Valley Center

Why it matters

This matters because invasive pests and plant diseases can cause severe damage to San Diego County's substantial $1.67 billion agricultural industry and harm the local environment. Diseases like citrus greening can kill all types of citrus plants, and various invasive species such as exotic fruit flies, emerald ash borers, and palm weevils threaten crops and ecosystems. The holiday season presents heightened risk due to increased shipping and travel, making it a critical time for preventing the accidental spread of these agricultural threats through gifts and souvenirs.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint