California Citrus Mutual and Bayer CropScience have teamed up to launch the #CitrusMatters campaign, calling on residents of the Golden State to help prevent the spread of the Asian citrus psyllid, which is the vector for citrus greening disease.

The year-long campaign will be promoted through its namesake hashtag along with the support of an educational website Citrusmatters.us, which  is designed to empower California residents to help prevent the disease, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB).

"From oranges to lemons, it's impossible to imagine our lives without the citrus fruit that grows across California," California Citrus Mutual president Joel Nelsen said.

"The average American eats 12.5 pounds of citrus every year, and California groves provide 80 percent of the fresh market citrus available in the United States.

"With the help of California homeowners, we can protect the California citrus industry and the fresh fruit we all love."

Bayer CropScience horticulture strategic business lead Rob Schrick underscored a commitment to helping prevent the disease's spread to preserve the livelihood of California's professional citrus growers and the fruit "we all enjoy".

"We’ve seen the impact HLB has had in Florida and other markets, affecting citrus growers’ productivity and resulting in an increase in the price of citrus at the grocery store," Schrick said.

"Through #CitrusMatters, we hope to inform and engage Californians to help prevent a similar situation in their state."

By the time HLB was first discovered in Florida in 2005, the Asian citrus psyllid was already prevalent throughout the state, leaving growers with limited options for preventative measures. According to a study conducted by the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service in 2012, the direct impact of HLB in Florida between 2006 and 2011 resulted in a loss of more than 8,000 jobs and a cost of US$4.5 billion to the state's economy.

The California citrus industry currently employs 12,000 people and contributes US$2.4 billion to the state’s economy each year. While only one tree infected by the bacterial disease has been found in California, the Asian citrus psyllid has been found in 15 California counties.

The campaign lists four simple ways Californians can engage with the campaign to prevent Asian citrus psyllid infestations and help save the state's citrus.

1. Spread the word about HLB and share why they love citrus. With every share of the hashtag #CitrusMatters between now and September 30, Bayer CropScience will donate $1, up to $25,000, to California Citrus Mutual in support of prevention, detection and research on this devastating disease.

2. Access additional resources specific to their area by visiting CaliforniaCitrusThreat.org.

3. Have their trees checked if they think they might be infected. Call the California Department of Food and Agriculture at 1-800-491-1899 for more information.

4. Become familiar with treatment options and the products that protect against the Asian citrus psyllid.

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