The Texas Department of Agriculture enacted an emergency quarantine Oct. 2 to stop the spread of the invasive two-spotted cotton leafhopper, also known as the cotton jassid. Originally from Asia, the cotton jassid has spread across much of the southeastern United States and now poses a serious threat to Texas’ multi-billion-dollar cotton industry and other agricultural products, said TDA. “Texas cotton farmers are the backbone of our economy and our communities,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said. “Texas grows 40% of the cotton grown in the U.S., making this pest a major threat to our supply. I won’t let a threat like the cotton jassid harm our farmers, ranchers, nurseries or landscapes. We’re taking aggressive steps to stop this pest in its tracks.” The quarantine applies to shipments from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee where the pest has been detected.
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