California grapevine producers or industry is now no more threatened by the European grapevine moth. Recently, Californian agricultures officials declared the state without the moth population that had posed danger to billions of worth crops in past seven years.

The presence of moth was first reported in Napa County in 2009. In the following year, their population soared significantly that mothers alone accounted for over 100,000. However, the steps to control the moth population through trapping, treatment and other efforts, the number of moths reduced to 144 in 2011.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently said that it is no longer exercising quarantines after completely eradicating moth for the state. The moth population has not been detected in the state since year 2014.

“It is no easy feat to eradicate an invasive species, especially one like the European grapevine moth when it gains a foothold in a place as hospitable as California’s prime winegrape growing region”, said Karen Ross, CDFA secretary.

The European grapevine moth is originally from southern Europe and it damages grapes, but also feeds on other crops and plants. Ross said coordination with growers, stakeholders and the community helped achieve the target to eradicate the moth. It also did not happen by chance rather with prolonged efforts and cooperative program.

Kevin Shea of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said grapevine moth is destructive invasive species that has threatened more than $5.7 billion worth of grapevine crops. The moth also caused the US to stop exporting grapes to nations across the world.

For APHIS, eradicating EGVM had remained a goal. It together with industry, state and local officials, growers, university scientists and extension services finally succeeded to achieve this.

According to a report in Fresno Bee by John Holland, "State and federal bug chasers say they have wiped out the European grapevine moth, which had threatened the wine industry in California. Spraying, quarantines and other measures took care of a pest that had topped 100,000 detections at the height of the problem in 2010."

“It is no easy feat to eradicate an invasive species, especially one like the European grapevine moth when it gains a foothold in a place as hospitable as California’s prime wine grape growing region,” said Karen Ross, secretary of food and agriculture for the state, in Thursday’s announcement.

Parts of San Joaquin and Merced were included in the quarantines in 2010, restricting the movement of grapes, stone fruit and other affected crops. They were removed from that status in 2012 because no more moths were found. None of the pests have been detected anywhere in the state since June 25, 2014. That allowed the last of the quaratines to be lifted Thursday.

A report published in Press Democrat informed, "The announcement comes after years of treatment and programs assisted by $65 million in funding from the federal government. Despite the effort, the insect cost California’s wine industry millions of dollars to protect the state’s third most valuable crop."

At its height, the moth caused notable damage to grape crops across a large swath of the North Coast. The quarantined areas extended from Fresno County to Nevada County. For example, the insect wiped out a vineyard’s chardonnay crop in Oakville in 2009, the first year it was detected in the region.

“It was a pretty major undertaking,” said Rex Stults, government relations director at the Napa Valley Vintners trade group. “I was in meetings where people would roll their eyes and there would be snickering when it was brought up we have a chance for eradication... But it happened.”