Plant Inspection 

Stations

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Program Aid No. 1942

Protecting U.S. Agriculture 

From Pests and Diseases

USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, 

color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, 

familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, 

political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived 

from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication 

of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s 

TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, 

S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-

6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Revised July 2015

Cover Photo: A member of the plant inspection stations’ staff inspects 

orchid plants for pests and diseases. Most orchids are protected under the 

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and 

Flora (CITES) treaty. (USDA, R. Anson Eaglin)
are carried, 

mailed, and shipped into the United States, 

contributing to the diversity of products available 

in the U.S. marketplace and enhancing our 

economy. Along with the benefits international 

trade affords us, the import of plant and 

agricultural products brings risks. Pests and 

diseases in infested shipments could threaten 

our native plants, agriculture, and natural 

resources. Helping to balance the benefits and 

risks of global plant trade is the responsibility of 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its 

plant inspection stations. 

Maritime containers arrive and are stacked at the port of entry. Each year, the 

volume of world trade increases and enhances the diversity of products available 

in our marketplace. (USDA, R. Anson Eaglin)

Most propagative plant imports move forward to 

a USDA plant inspection station upon arrival at 

the port of entry. The plant inspection stations’ 

staff of scientists, plant health safeguarding 

specialists, and support personnel make sure 

the material is free of USDA-regulated pests and 

diseases and meets U.S. plant health import 

standards before releasing the shipment to its 

permitted destination. This is part of USDA’s 

plant health safeguarding system at work.

A single outbreak of an exotic plant pest or 

disease could have a devastating impact on 

our food supply and natural resources. Even a 

small incident could have cascading effects and 

result in higher priced agricultural products for 

all of us. USDA plant inspection stations—with 

locations at or near major U.S. international 

airports, seaports, and border crossings—are 

a formidable line of defense in the fight against 

invasive pests and diseases. 

Each year, 

billions of plants, 

plant cuttings, 

seeds, and other 

plant materials
Protecting 

U.S. Agriculture 

and Natural Resources 

Is a Critical Job

Plant inspection stations have many functions and 

incorporate many different disciplines to promote 

international trade and protect our markets. 

Navigating this complex safeguarding mission 

begins with a highly trained staff, using time-tested 

methods and modern technology. Staff at plant 

inspection stations work actively with industry to 

reduce and eliminate risks of pest introduction and 

to protect biodiversity. 

Our staff perform a wide range of duties. 

These include, among others: 

n Physically inspecting propagative materials, 

such as plants, plant cuttings, and seeds;

n Conducting inspections with modern technology— 

• High-resolution digital imaging of intercepted pests,

• Molecular detection tools (where applicable), 

• Remote pest identification techniques,

• Seed x-ray to view internal feeding insects, and

• Other technical tools and methods to extract pests 

from plant products;

n Identifying pests intercepted during cargo and plant 

material inspections;

n Cataloging port taxonomic collections of organisms for 

pest, pathogen, and disease identification; 

n Monitoring chemical and nonchemical treatments to 

disinfect and disinfest plant material against pests and 

disease organisms; and

n Issuing USDA Phytosanitary Certificates for plants, 

seeds, and plant products for export from the United 

States to attest they are free of pests and diseases. 

A plant health safeguarding specialist reviews shipping documents before an 

inspection. (USDA, R. Anson Eaglin) 
Promoting Trade 

and Moving Products 

Upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry, most imported 

plant material intended for propagation must first 

transit through 1 of 16 USDA plant inspection 

stations to complete clearance and processing. Plant 

inspection stations’ staff use risk-based sampling 

methods, which focus resources on higher risk 

plants, facilitate cargo inspection, and maintain robust 

inspection protocols. 

A phytosanitary certificate, issued by the exporting 

country, and an import permit, issued by USDA, 

must accompany nearly all propagative plant 

material imports into the United States. These 

documents identify the plant material by scientific 

name, verify that the shipment has been inspected 

by the exporting country’s national plant protection 

organization and found to be free from regulated 

pests or diseases of concern prior to export, and 

confirm that the shipment meets applicable U.S. 

entry requirements.

X-ray technology enhances our ability to 

detect pests inside seeds that might not be 

visible during regular physical inspection 

(top). A dissected seed reveals the hidden 

insect pest (bottom). (USDA file photos)

A plant health safeguarding 

specialist issues a USDA 

Phytosanitary Certificate. 

This Federal document 

attests that agricultural 

commodities being shipped 

meet the health standards 

required of plants and plant 

products for export. 

(USDA, R. Anson Eaglin)
Plant 

Inspection 

Stations

Arizona

Nogales

California

San Diego

California

San Francisco

California

Los Angeles

located in the 

City of El Segundo

Puerto Rico

Carolina Hawaii

Honolulu

Texas

Houston

located in the 

City of Humble

Texas

Los Indios

Florida

Miami

Georgia

Atlanta

Maryland

Beltsville

New York

Jamaica

Washington

Seattle

New 

Jersey

Linden

Florida

Orlando

Guam

Barrigada

Visit www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/pis for the 

mailing addresses and phone numbers of our locations.

Genesis of 

Plant Inspection Stations

USDA plant inspection stations, which began operating in the first 

half of the 20th century, have evolved into one of our most visible 

assets in safeguarding American agriculture. 

In 1910, a gift to the United States of 2,000 flowering cherry 

trees unknowingly included a number of exotic insects, diseases, 

and nematodes. When these were detected, the trees had to 

be destroyed to prevent the spread of these pests. Since then, 

a number of laws have been passed to better protect American 

agriculture. In 2000, the Plant Protection Act consolidated all or 

part of 10 existing plant health laws into one comprehensive law, 

which serves as our authority to regulate today.
Protecting 

Endangered Species 

and Biodiversity 

USDA staff at plant inspection stations carry out 

regulations controlling the import and export of 

protected plant species. Responsibility to enforce 

the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) and the 

Convention on International Trade in Endangered 

Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) treaty has 

been delegated to the USDA. Using CITES and ESA, 

and the plant quarantine regulations, staff at the plant 

inspection stations check required permits and inspect 

plants and plant products being imported and exported. 

CITES-protected plants arriving at a plant inspection 

station without appropriate CITES documentation are 

subject to forfeiture.

The Convention on International Trade in 

Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is 

an international treaty, signed by the United States 

and 180 other countries. CITES regulates the trade 

in listed species and hybrids of plants and animals 

at risk of extinction because of overexploitation. 

The goal of CITES is to ensure that international 

trade in listed plant and animal specimens is legal 

and sustainable and that the extinction of those 

species is prevented. 

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is 

intended to protect imperiled species and the 

critical habitats upon which they depend. The 

ESA protects listed species from extinction by 

controlling collection, possession, transportation, 

and trade in those species and by designating and 

protecting the critical habitats of those species. 

To learn more about CITES and ESA, go to 

www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/cites.

A plant pathologist uses 

digital image technology of a 

slide mount to expedite the 

identification of a plant disease.

(USDA, R. Anson Eaglin)
Plant health safeguarding specialists use a team approach to examine a large 

plant shipment, detect pests, and expedite the inspection process.

(USDA, R. Anson Eaglin)

Importing Plants 

for Planting

To learn more about the import of plants for planting, 

go to www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/q37.

What Plant Material 

Requires a Permit?

To learn more about permits for importing plant material, 

go to www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/permits.

Plants, plant products, and seeds may be imported into 

the United States either by mail, freight, or passenger 

baggage and must be presented for inspection. U.S. 

importers should secure agricultural permits for 

shipments far in advance of their transport. 

You can apply for and receive permits online 

through USDA ePermits. This Web-based tool 

provides a single place to view and manage all 

of your applications, permits, and other related 

correspondence. Likewise, the system enables 

Federal regulatory officials to issue, track, and rapidly 

verify import permits. To learn more about ePermits, 

go to www.aphis.usda.gov/permits.

The USDA requires permits for the import and 

transit of plants and plant products into and 

through the United States. The rules found in Title 

7, part 319 of the Code of Federal Regulations 

prohibit or restrict the import of certain plants and 

plant products to keep from introducing exotic 

plant pests and diseases in our country.
Investing in 

Prospective Opportunities: 

Plant Germplasm 

Inspection Station

The USDA operates a specialized facility—the Plant 

Germplasm Inspection Station in Beltsville, MD—as 

part of the National Plant Germplasm Quarantine 

Center. The facility is uniquely designed for handling 

imported plant germplasm and other valuable plant 

materials for plant breeding and research programs 

that, under most circumstances, would not be 

permitted into the United States. These items must 

enter the United States under a specialty permit 

(controlled import permit) and are sent to the 

Beltsville inspection station. Here, they are examined 

and, if necessary, treated before being allowed to 

move forward to the USDA-approved facility listed on 

the permit. 

Sharing the Responsibility: 

You Can Help Protect 

American Agriculture

In today’s global marketplace, the volume of 

international trade brings increased potential for the 

introduction of foreign pests, diseases, and noxious 

weeds that could threaten the safety of American 

agriculture. Whether mailing, shipping, or handcarrying plants and seeds back into the United 

States, we all need to follow safeguarding practices 

for importing plants and plant products. In doing so, 

each of us can help defend American agriculture from 

foreign plant pests and diseases.

PPQ personnel provide information about plant inspection stations during local 

trade shows and plant clinics. Questions about agriculture import regulations, 

international travel, online purchases, permitting materials, and employment 

opportunities are common during outreach events. (USDA file photo)

For More Information

Visit the USDA Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service Web site:

www.aphis.usda.gov

www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/pis