Overview
- State and county officials traced contaminated grapevines to Burchell Nursery’s Fresno location that shipped vines to Costco warehouses between April 21 and May 21.
- Agricultural teams have seized and destroyed infested stock at multiple Costco warehouses and are asking buyers to keep purchased vines contained and contact their local agricultural commissioner for inspection.
- Marin County officials reported required quarantine flagging did not occur for these shipments, prompting an investigation into the nursery’s compliance with state rules that allow local inspections.
- Counties said Costco has cooperated with the response and is helping notify customers, but thousands of vines already sold to consumers remain unaccounted for and are the priority for containment.
- Officials warn the glassy-winged sharpshooter can carry Pierce’s disease, a bacterial infection that kills grapevines and threatens other crops, and past outbreaks led to wide vine destruction and major economic losses.