The United States prohibits the entry of Canadian cherries from Quebec due to fruit flies

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced an immediate ban on cherry imports from Quebec due to the detection of the cherry fly, also known as the European cherry fly (Rhagoletis cerasi), a pest harmful to cherry crops. This ban extends to potential host plants within the Prunus species, mirroring a similar restriction placed on Ontario since 2017. The ban comes after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) expanded its regulatory area to include Quebec, necessitating other Canadian provinces to certify the origin of their cherries before export to the U.S. This measure aims to prevent the spread of the cherry fly into the United States.