Washington - During fiscal year 2008, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists continued to work diligently to prevent harmful plant pests and animal diseases, dangerous and contaminated goods, biological threats, and substances with the potential for agro-terrorism from entering the United States food and agriculture supply.

Agricultural inspection and pest detection efforts for imports crossing at the ports of entry are a vital and necessary element of CBPs comprehensive border security strategy, said CBP Commissioner W. Ralph Basham. I applaud the great work our agricultural specialists are doing every day on the frontline, protecting American agriculture from all threats, whether they be intentional, inadvertent, or negligent in nature.

Some of the more notable agricultural-related accomplishments in fiscal year 2008 included:

Agricultural Statistics:

• CBPAS intercepted nearly seven percent more plant pests than in fiscal year 2007.
• There were 42 first-time plant pest interceptions at a port of entry, State, and/or Nation.
• Agricultural civil penalties increased by nearly 11 percent from fiscal year 2007.
• CBPAS imposed a penalty in the amount of $3.326 million related to 98 shipments of glass which were refused entry due to the presence of live wood-boring insects that were discovered in solid wood packing material.
• Gulf and West Coast ports intercepted Asian Gypsy Moth on 17 vessels from July through November 2008 with six vessels ordered out of U.S. waters. Interceptions were made in 10 ports of entry in five states.

Agricultural Outreach and Communication:

• Agriculture Programs and Trade Liaison implemented a formal agriculture outreach program at the national, field office, and port of entry levels.
• CBP established the Agriculture Quarantine Inspection Partnership Council, which includes representatives from the state and federal sectors. The AQIPC is co-chaired by the CBP Office of Field Operations assistant commissioner and APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine deputy administrator.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Department of Agriculture co-hosted a joint agency Agriculture Stakeholder Conference with over 200 participants from CBP, APHIS, states, and industry.
• The assistant commissioner/OFO set up an Agriculture sub-committee within the Commercial Operations Advisory Committee to provide the COAC with additional opportunities to strengthen communication between the trade and businesses affected by CBP in areas such as carrier contamination, wood packaging material, and the dissemination of pertinent plant pest and foreign animal disease information.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

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