Business owners in Yuma are worried about a proposal that could put a huge dent in the community’s lemon business. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said the new rule would modify regulations to allow lemons from Argentina into the United States.
Rocky Curtis is president of Yuma’s Mission Citrus.
"The decision to import is based solely on science and whether the commodity has any pest risks that threaten American agriculture," the U.S. Department of Agriculture told KJZZ in an email. "And, in June 2015, APHIS officials visited Argentina to verify that mitigation measures adequately address U.S. quarantine concerns. The geographic location is based on the area in Argentina from where lemons may be imported safely into the United States.”
The proposed rule on lemon importation is open for public comments until July 11.
