▁er ad icate ▁the ▁med fly ▁threat , ▁California ▁halt ed ▁its ▁Mal ath ion ▁aer ial ▁sp ray ing ▁program ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁three ▁months ▁after ▁the ▁threat ▁from ▁The ▁Bre ed ers ▁was ▁received . ▁The ▁state ▁instead ▁opt ed ▁to ▁try ▁the ▁volunt ary ▁introduction ▁of ▁millions ▁of ▁radiation - ster il ized ▁med f lies ▁to ▁interrupt ▁the ▁re product ive ▁cycle ▁and ▁control ▁the ▁population . ▁ ▁Later , ▁South ▁Dak ota ▁reported ▁that ▁a ▁similar ▁attack ▁with ▁a ▁corn ▁or ▁so y bean ▁p est ▁could ▁dev ast ate ▁their ▁agricult ure ▁industry . ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Mark ▁Ur la ub , ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Agricult ure ' s ▁bio security ▁program ▁director , ▁announced ▁that ▁investig ators ▁were ▁" t aking ▁another ▁look ▁at " ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁attack . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Ag ro - ter ror ism ▁ ▁E cot age ▁ ▁Ent om ological ▁war fare ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁ ▁D unn , ▁Ash ley . ▁" O fficial s ▁Ad vert ise ▁to ▁Contact ▁Myst ery ▁Group ▁Cla im ing ▁Med fly ▁Re leases ", ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Times , ▁February ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁accessed ▁February ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁She er , ▁Jenn ifer ▁L . O . ▁Bre ed ers : ▁A ▁Case ▁Study , ▁( Abstract ), ▁Encyclopedia ▁of ▁Bi