Virginia lifts failed quarantine for spotted lanternfly

Efforts to quarantine spotted lanternflies in Virginia have been deemed ineffective.

The state’s Department of Agriculture repealed the quarantine last month after efforts to slow the pest failed. The quarantine was established back in 2019 when the pest was first detected in Frederick County.

Sixty-seven Virginia localities now face the pest which feeds on grapes, hops, stone fruits, and hardwood trees.

Spotted lanternflies have also been found in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, and Connecticut.

Related Stories
Richard Gupton of the Agricultural Retailers Association explains a new resource designed to help farmers comply with ESA-related pesticide label requirements.
Sen. Roger Marshall discusses the Senate’s unanimous passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act and what expanded milk options could mean for students and dairy farmers. Industry groups say it is a win for student nutrition and dairy producers.
Supplemental Disaster Relief Program Stage Two will disburse around $16 billion, approved by Congress last year. Sign-ups begin Monday, and producers have until April to return applications.
An outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1) first appeared after livestock events in Texas and Arizona, and some horses have already died.
Early Cattle-on-Feed estimates point to slightly tighter cattle supplies, reinforcing the need to monitor prices and timing for winter marketing.
Row crop losses in 2025 are outpacing last year. With no disaster aid yet approved, many operations face a tough financial bridge to 2026 even as Farm Bill improvements remain a year away.