Fruit growers in Montrose, Delta and Mesa counties were granted pest-free status by the Arizona Department of Agriculture, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) announced Thursday.

This new status allows fruit growers to ship commercially-grown deciduous fruit to Arizona without the cold-storage quarantine requirement that has been in place for years.

Bypassing the cold storage will greatly benefit the product produced by these counties said Cheryl Smith, CDA export certification specialist.

“A grower would have to put the fruit in cold storage for 40 days at approximately 40 degrees in order to kill any potential live insects,” Smith said. “These fruits can not tolerate that kind of cold treatment.”

The three Colorado counties are the first in the state to receive Arizona’s pest-free status after a five-year pest trapping program proved the counties are free of Apple Maggot and Plum Curculio pests.

The program was between the CDA Phytosanitary program, Cooperative Agriculture Pest Survey, CSU Mesa County Extension and Black Bear Orchard and Taylor Farms.

“Thanks to the expertise, tenacity and collaboration of many committed partners, a new market has been opened to Western Slope fruit growers that had been closed for many years,” Smith said.

Fruit growers interested in exploring new out-of-state markets are asked to contact the CDA.