FRESNO, Calif. -- Federal agriculture officials are committing $5.8 million to an effort to stop the spread of a tiny bug in California that can wipe out citrus groves.

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said the money will be used to step up surveillance, enforce quarantines, and educate the industry and public about the Asian citrus psyllid's deadly impacts.

The bug, which has caused billions of dollars in damage to the citrus industries in Florida and Brazil, was detected at the Tijuana border earlier this year. By September it had crossed into San Diego County.

The psyllid carries a bacteria deadly to citrus that it passes to the trees when feeding on leaves. Citrus greening kills trees in five to eight years.