• Citrus is a major crop in California.Citrus image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com
  
  The state of California spends millions of dollars each year protecting its borders from unwanted pests and animals that could hurt the agricultural products that are grown in the state. All trucks entering California, especially with live products, are closely inspected to make sure that the contents do not pose a threat to agriculture. Private parties are restricted as to the kinds of pets and plants they can bring into the state, including citrus trees.
  
  

Domestic Citrus

• California inspects all citrus plants coming into the state at its inspection stations. The state asks people bringing citrus plants whether the plant has been grown indoors or out and if the potting soil is a commercial sterile mix. The inspectors will not allow any citrus plants that have been outdoors into the state because the plant may spread disease to other citrus, a major crop in California.
  
  Professional movers have to fill out a form identifying the plants that they have loaded on the trucks, and put the plants as close to the loading door as possible for easy inspection. If the homeowners are moving themselves, they must comply with these requirements, as well.
  
  

Intrastate Shipments

• As of July 2010, citrus plants cannot be transported outside of county borders because of an infestation of predatory insects. Once the ban has been removed, citrus growers can ship plants from one county to another as long as the plants do not harbor any diseases, harmful insects or viruses.
  
  

Importing Trees

• Commercial growers can bring citrus plants into California as long as the point of origin does not have any diseases, pests or soil-borne illnesses. Most of the citrus trees purchased in California, however, are grown there, since the climate is ideal not only for growing citrus crops, but also for growing the trees.
  
  Due to the outbreak of diseases in citrus in the states of Texas, Florida, Arizona and California, as of July 2010, growers from these states cannot bring citrus into California, nor can they accept citrus grown from California.