PHOENIX (AP) - A disease that could potentially devastate citrus trees all over the state means donations to metropolitan Phoenix food banks will likely bear a lot less fruit.
St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance and Mesa-based United Food Bank have not been accepting drop-off donations of citrus fruits since the state Department of Agriculture issued a quarantine last month.
The quarantine is part of an effort to isolate the Asian citrus psyllid, a tiny bug that can spread a citrus greening disease.
The areas under quarantine include parts of Maricopa, Pima, Santa Cruz, Mohave, La Paz, Yavapai and Yuma counties.
Food bank officials say they are looking for more volunteers than usual to help glean fruit on site because that is the only way they can verify where it came from.
Posted
Associated Press 2016
