Washington - Vernon Foret, a 19-year veteran in the effort to safeguard American agricultural resources from harmful pests and diseases, is the new executive director for agriculture inspection programs at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. As executive director, Foret is responsible for making sure that CBP succeeds in its efforts to meet the agriculture mission at the national level.

Prior to assuming his duties as executive director, Foret was the area port director for the port of New Orleans. In this position, he was responsible for operational activities at all ports of entry in Louisiana to include New Orleans, Gramercy, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, Morgan City and Shreveport.

From December 2003 to August 2006, Foret was the border security coordinator at the CBP New Orleans field office. As coordinator, he was responsible for overseeing all CBP Office of Field Operations enforcement programs in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Arkansas. He was also the CBP primary point of contact for other federal, state and local law enforcement authorities.

Foret transferred from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to CBP March 1, 2003 at the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. Previous to his position at CBP, Foret worked for the USDAs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine for more than 14 years. He held a range of positions with USDA that prepared him for his current position at CBP including port director for New Orleans and director of port operations in Gulfport, Mississippi where he was responsible for overseeing all agriculture inspections for inbound cargo, conveyances and passengers, as well as export certification of regulated agricultural commodities for the entire Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Foret began his federal career in 1989 as a PPQ officer in New Orleans. He worked as a PPQ officer for more than nine years performing a variety of specialized duties that protect the health and care of animals and plants in the United States.

A native of New Orleans, Foret is a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.

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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