The decision was made on April 10 and is a victory for the Californian citrus lobby to the dismay of Argentina's exporters. The court ruling last year sided with the plaintiffs in the case: California citrus interests. It suggested that US plant health authority Aphis had not dealt properly with the issue of negligible risk in allowing its 'systems approach' of gradual introduction of Argentinean citrus into the US, including citrus producing states such as California, Florida, Texas and Arizona. The ruling also expressed concern with entrusting Senasa, the Argentinean plant-health agency, with enforcing certain mitigation measures demanded by Aphis's approach.

However, despite the court ruling, no problems with Argentinean citrus imports were identified during 2000 and 2001, the two season that exports from Argentina, mainly of lemons were allowed into the US.

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