Branched broomrape is currently classified in California as an "A-rated" parasitic weed. An "A-rated" pest is an organism of known economic importance subject to state-enforced action involving “eradication, quarantine regulation, containment, rejection, or other holding action”. The discovery of branched broomrape in a commercial tomato field leads to quarantine and crop destruction without harvest; processors will not accept a load of tomatoes from an infested field.
The CDFA Broomrape board was convened in 2024 to begin recommending actions to the Secretary of Agriculture to reduce the risk of further spread of branched broomrape in the state while protecting important agricultural industries. The board had extensive consultations with growers, researchers, and regulators developed a strategic plan to guide board activities and started developing programs and protocols that would allow production of host crop such as processing tomatoes while minimizing the threat of branched broomrape. The links on this page are current best management guidelines for growers, shippers, and processors to meet the requirements of the Compliance Agreements.