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Article: Farmers in Tulare County, Calif., Debate How to Combat Olive Fruit Fly.
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
- Article date:
- February 21, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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By Robert Rodriguez, The Fresno Bee, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
Feb. 21--More than 700 Tulare County farmers will decide next week whether to tax themselves as a way to fund the fight against the highly destructive olive fruit fly.
The tiny fly has invaded almost every major olive-producing region in the state, including Tulare County, which harvested a $28 million crop in 2002. The fly -- about 3/16 of an inch -- ruins fruit by laying its eggs inside young olives and exposing them to harmful bacteria.
"There is no question that the olive fruit fly is a major problem," said Jan Nelson, manager of the California Olive ...