Costco has rang alarm bells after one of their products may be carrying an invasive species. And now, agriculture officials are rushing to contain the problem.
As reported by the Daily Mail, dangerous pests have been found on plants cold at Costco stores. The incident appears to be isolated to only Northern California. The infected plants were shipped from a Fresno County nursery to several Costco locations.
The invasive insect itself is called glassy-winged sharpshooters. They are large leafhoppers that are known to spread deadly diseases that affect grapevines. More specifically, they carry Xylella fastidiosa which can cause Price's disease in grapes.
While invasive species on their own are quite dangerous in their own right, this is a unique threat. Typically, they can disrupt native ecosystems and cause the decline of certain species.
But the glassy-winged sharpshooters threaten one of California's biggest industries - winemaking. They also can affect citrus orchards, among other crops in the state.
As the Solano County Agricultural Commissioner Ed King put it, "community cooperation is critical right now."
Costco has been cleared of all wrongdoing because of the incident, though. "Costco is not at fault here, and they've been an exceptional partner throughout this process," according to the Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner, Andrew Smith.
He added, "They added quickly, cooperated fully, and are working to notify members and customers as fast as possible."
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What Do I Do If I Bought a Costco Grapevine, or Think My Plants are Infected?
Well, it's really important to understand just what you're dealing with.
Authorities have made it explicitly clear that you really should not be throwing the plants away in general waste. Nor should you be moving them or giving them to other people.
What people have been advised to do is as follows:
- Tightly seal the affected plant (typically grapevines, or citrus plants) in two garbage bags
- Contact their local agriculture department so they can tell you what to do next
The concern by Californians is particularly heavy as the glassy-winged sharpshooter has previously wreaked havoc on plant populations in the state before.
