Pest Exclusion

The Lake County Department of Agriculture protects our local agricultural industry and the environment from invasion by exotic pests by maintaining an extensive Pest Exclusion Program as the first line of defense. Despite rigorous regulations and best practices, non-native insects, weeds, and plant pathogens are regularly transported into California. Exotic pests may flourish in new environments if imported without their natural enemies. Pest Exclusion operates under the belief that it is more cost-effective and better for native plants and animals to keep exotic pests out of Lake County than to attempt to control or eradicate them after they are introduced.

Incoming commercial and private shipments of agricultural products and plant materials are inspected for compliance with quarantine regulations. Investigators routinely intercept exotic pests during daily inspections at shipping facilities such as the United States Post Office, Federal Express, and United Parcel Service (UPS). Inspections and surveys of material coming into local nurseries, aquatic plant stores, and specialty markets prevent exotic pests from escaping into the environment and save taxpayers the burden of eradication costs, quarantine sanctions, and wildland rehabilitation.

Additionally, our Federally licensed inspectors write the paperwork and inspect shipments of fruit and other host material being exported to foreign countries. Each country has its own restrictions on shipments crossing its borders, and the certificates certify that inspectors have shown the produce or host material meets those requirements.