High Risk

The County High Risk Pest Exclusion Program is a vital component in overall pest prevention efforts in cooperation with California Department of Food and Agriculture to protect agriculture and the environment from the threat of newly introduced exotic pests.

The Pest Exclusion program is designed to prevent the introduction of harmful pests into the state and to eradicate them when detected. When eradication is not possible due to the extent of an infestation, efforts focus on containing and controlling the spread of the pest to minimize impacts on agriculture and the environment.

As the state’s first line of defense against exotic pest invasions, the program conducts inspections of incoming commercial and private shipments of plant materials to ensure compliance with import regulations. Shipments found to contain harmful pests may be rejected, returned to the shipper at their expense, or destroyed. Plant quarantines may also require inspections at points of origin or destination to verify that commodities are free from injurious insects, nematodes, and plant diseases, helping protect California’s agricultural resources through strict inspection and certification procedures.

Pest Rating System

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) classifies pests according to the level of threat they pose to agriculture, the environment, and public resources, as well as the regulatory response required for management and control.

A-rated pests are considered the most serious threat. These pests are either not known to occur in California or exist only in limited distribution and have the potential to cause severe economic or environmental harm. Immediate regulatory action is required, and eradication efforts are mandatory to prevent establishment and spread.

B-rated pests are pests of moderate concern that may already exist in portions of the state but still warrant containment or management in certain regions. Regulatory action is discretionary, allowing county agricultural commissioners to determine appropriate control measures based on local conditions and risk levels.

C-rated pests are pests of minor economic or environmental importance that are generally widespread throughout the state. State regulatory action is typically unnecessary, and control efforts are left to the discretion of individual property owners or growers.

D-rated pests are organisms that are not considered significant threats under normal circumstances. These may include species previously regulated but no longer viewed as harmful. No regulatory action or official control measures are required for D-rated pests.

Q-rated pests are organisms that require additional evaluation because insufficient information exists to assign a permanent classification. Until further assessment is completed, they are treated as potentially serious threats. Immediate regulatory action and eradication efforts are required to prevent establishment and spread while long-term risk evaluations are conducted.

Related Information

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