HUSA Feb 17 2026 – Leafhopper Quarantine

(AUSTIN, Texas) — The Texas Department of Agriculture issued an emergency quarantine Feb. 5 to protect against the two-spotted cotton leafhopper. The quarantine inspections help monitor pests that could be introduced into Texas from out-of-state agricultural shipments.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said the quarantine would help safeguard the cotton, nursery and ornamental sectors.

“This pest is a ticking bomb for Texas agriculture,” Miller said. “Cotton fuels our rural economy —we can’t let it ravage yields. We’ve contained it so far, but this quarantine buys time to outsmart and crush it, protecting farmers, ranchers, and growers.”