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United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

Animal and 

Plant Health 

Inspection Service 

Plant Protection and 

Quarantine

Program Aid No. 1990

Overview of Plant Protection 

and Quarantine’s 

Professional Development 

Center 
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (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.

Issued February 2009
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Who We Are

The Professional Development Center (PDC) is a unit within the Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that supports the agency’s Plant 

Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program mission, vision, and values. The 

PDC provides training and educational advice, leadership, and consultation 

to PPQ employees and others who work to protect the Nation’s agriculture 

and natural resources from plant pests and diseases. As part of these efforts, 

the PDC delivers employee development programs that promote continual 

learning and employee competence and professionalism. 
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Office of the Director

Location: Frederick, Maryland

The Office of the Director is responsible for the overall management of the 

PDC’s staffs, budgets, and training facilities, as well as the administrative and 

information technology functions required to carry out its mission.

The Director is a member of the PPQ Executive Team. Working closely with 

the other Executive Team members, the Director identifies and validates employee training and development needs and develops yearly training plans 

that are aligned with PPQ’s strategic goals.
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Agricultural Quarantine Inspection

Location: Frederick, Maryland

The Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) unit is responsible for designing, developing, delivering, and evaluating scientific and technical training 

for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialist (CBPAS) 

Academy. The CBPAS training is offered at the PDC and provides basic scientific and technical instruction for new hires. By aligning its products and 

services with PPQ’s strategic goals and responding to CBP’s needs, the AQI 

unit ensures that CBP acquires the scientific skills and technical knowledge 

necessary to accomplish the AQI mission.

Off-loading cargo maritime (taken by Kyle Hegamyer)
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The AQI unit’s areas of responsibility include:

•	 Organizational, job, task, and training needs analyses;

•	 Instructional design, development, and delivery;

•	 Training and program evaluation; and

•	 Employee certification.

For more AQI training information, contact the PDC at (240) 529-0200.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

Agriculture Specialist Academy

The academy, which the AQI unit oversees in collaboration with the U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Customs and Border Protection 

(CBP), is a 10-week, performance-based program designed for entry-level 

Agriculture Specialists. The training provides the students with the skills, 

tools, and knowledge necessary to perform AQI duties, preparing them to 

protect American agriculture from both the intentional and unintentional introduction of exotic pests, diseases, and noxious weeds. Courses the academy 

offers, listed in chronological order, include:

•	 Plant Pathology

•	 Seed Identification

•	 General Taxonomic Entomology

•	 Malacology

•	 Acarology

•	 Diptera

•	 Isoptera

•	 Thysanoptera

•	 Hymenoptera

•	 Orthoperoidea

•	 Lepidoptera 

•	 Hemiptera

•	 Coleoptera

•	 Pest Interception

•	 Introduction to Regulatory

Decision Making

•	 Preventing Agricultural

Bioterrorism

•	 Risk Analysis and 

Agricultural Quarantine 

Inspection Monitoring

•	 Manual for Agricultural

Clearance

•	 Agricultural Quarantine

Activity System (AQAS) 

Training

•	 Pesticide Certification

•	 Treatments at Ports of Entry

•	 Nonpropagative Plant

Imports

•	 Nursery Stock Regulations

•	 Animal Products Training
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Leadership Development and Organizational Support 

Location: Frederick, Maryland

The Leadership Development and Organizational Support (LDOS) unit is 

responsible for designing, developing, delivering, and facilitating leadership 

training for all PPQ employees. LDOS follows PPQ’s Leadership Development Strategy to manage and enhance its training function. The strategy’s core 

elements include leadership competencies, assessments, coaching, mentoring, 

and continual learning. LDOS ensures that PPQ employees have the necessary 

leadership skills, knowledge, and abilities to accomplish PPQ’s mission. 

LDOS Training Activities and Services

New Supervisor Seminar: The PPQ New Supervisors’ Seminar (NSS) is a 

40-hour competency-based course for new PPQ Supervisors, Project Managers, or Team Leaders with experience of 18 months or less. It is designed 

to develop and improve leadership skills, as well as apply new approaches to 

address PPQ’s current and future leadership needs for program supervisors. 

It is aligned with PPQ’s workforce and succession planning needs to develop 

future leaders in the program. 

Two Hymenoptera (taken by Erin Otto) Sphingidae larva (taken by Erin Otto)
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Leading in the 21st Century (L-21): The L-21 Program is a 12-month, competency-based course that is part of PPQ’s leadership development strategy. 

It is designed to help build and improve the skills necessary for success as 

PPQ leaders and apply new approaches to address PPQ’s current and future 

leadership needs. 

The program will provide the processes, structure, and opportunity for participants to assess their individual leadership development needs, plan learning activities, practice and improve leadership skills, explore the dimensions 

of self-awareness and leadership with experts and colleagues, learn skills they 

can use now and in the future, and build networks for future collaboration. 

PPQ encourages all employees to be continual learners and take an active role 

in their own learning and development.

 L-21 session (taken by PDC staff)

L-21 graduation (taken by PPQ staff) 
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Experienced Supervisor Seminar: The PPQ Experienced Supervisors’ Seminar (ESS) is a 40-hour, competency-based course for all PPQ full-time supervisors, with 3 or more years of supervisory/management experience, who are 

currently in grades GS-9 through GS-13 and aspire to enhance their leadership skills. The ESS is part of PPQ’s succession plan and leadership development strategy to develop experienced supervisors within the organization. 

This leadership seminar is designed to develop and improve the leadership 

skills needed to have continued success as a PPQ supervisor. 

Assessments: LDOS offers a number of tools to help individuals, teams, 

and course participants identify strengths, personal styles, and developmental 

needs. The assessment data can increase an individual’s awareness of his or 

her abilities and the need to plan for improvements in job performance. Assessments include:

•	 360 Degree Assessment: A questionnaire completed by the individual, 

his or her supervisor, direct reports, peers, and internal and external 

customers to rate how well the individual performs in any number of 

behavioral areas. Results are used to identify leadership strengths and 

developmental areas that might require improvement. 

•	 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: A psychological instrument designed to 

identify personality preferences. Results from the indicator are used to 

promote self-awareness and development. 

•	 Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation—Behavior: A psychological instrument used to explain how personal needs affect various 

interpersonal relationships. Results are used to promote self-awareness 

and identify ways to enhance behaviors to work with others more effectively. 

For more information on assessments, e-mail: 

PPQAssessments@aphis.usda.gov 
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Coaching Clinic: A 2-day coaching clinic that teaches supervisors, managers, 

and team leaders how to use a coach approach effectively in order to enable 

employees to become self-reliant achievers.

Coaching and Mentoring: Coaching services for select employees in conjunction with leadership development programs. The PDC also provides assistance with identifying a mentor and developing a mentoring agreement to 

help with career planning and to increase leadership capabilities. 

Meeting Design and Facilitation: A 3-day workshop on meeting design and 

facilitation. Facilitators learn to guide the meeting process to stay on course, 

ensure that everyone participates, and achieve the established meeting goals. 

The PDC also provides meeting design and facilitation services for select 

customers. 

Behavioral Event Interview (BEI): A workshop to teach facilitators how to 

conduct a BEI with job candidates. BEIs are based on the assumption that the 

most reliable indication of how a candidate will perform in the target position is to understand how the candidate has performed in past positions. The 

PDC also provides BEI facilitation services for select customers. 

Intercultural Communications—GLOBESMART®: A Web-based tool that 

provides PPQ employees with quick and easy access to extensive resources 

that explain how to conduct business effectively with people from more than 

45 countries around the world. 

Serving Abroad Families Employees (SAFE) Training: Required training for 

all PPQ employees who travel abroad for a temporary duty assignment lasting more than 30 days. Topics covered in this training course include, among 

others, working in an embassy and overseas security. 

Workforce Planning: A service offered to PPQ and other APHIS programs. 

The process ensures that the organization has the number of people with the 

right skills to carry out the mission of the organization at any given time.
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Succession Planning: A service offered to PPQ and other APHIS programs. 

The process helps to ensure long-range stability in the management of the 

organization. Key managerial positions are identified, personnel rotation is 

projected, and strategies are put in place so that positions can be filled with 

highly qualified candidates.

AgLearn: PPQ’s online learning management system. This tool helps PPQ 

employees plan for future career development, locate courses to provide 

learning opportunities, and track and record the learning history of internal 

and external developmental activities. 

For more information about AgLearn, e-mail:

PPQ_AgLearn_Administrator@aphis.usda.gov. 

For more information about any LDOS program, e-mail:

PPQ.Leadership.Support@aphis.usda.gov. 

Plant Health Safeguarding 

Location: Frederick, Maryland

The Plant Health Safeguarding (PHS) unit is responsible for designing, developing, delivering, facilitating, and evaluating scientific and technical training for 

PPQ employees. PHS aligns its products and services with PPQ’s strategic goals 

to ensure that employees acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to accomplish PPQ’s safeguarding mission. PHS’ areas of responsibility include:

•	 Organizational, job, task, and training needs analyses;

•	 Instructional design, development, and delivery;

•	 Training and program evaluation;

•	 Testing policy and administration;

•	 Employee certification; and

•	 Curriculum validation.
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PHS Training Activities and Services

Basic Agricultural Safeguarding Training: Addresses the training and development needs of PPQ’s entry-level Plant Health Safeguarding Specialists. The 

curriculum is performance-based and teaches new hires the basic skills and 

knowledge needed to perform their duties. 

Pest Survey Specialist Curriculum: A series of technical and leadership development courses designed for new Pest Survey Specialists. The combination 

of courses teaches participants how to effectively plan, implement, and maintain early detection survey activities for exotic pests and weeds. The curriculum includes courses delivered through AgLearn and other Web-based and 

e-learning venues and at regional and national workshops. 

Biotechnology

The PDC offers two courses in biotechnology:

•	 Biotechnology Notification Inspection Training: Teaches participants how 

to inspect government and private-sector research programs that conduct 

environmental releases of transgenic plants classified as low-risk. 

•	 Release Permit Inspection Training: Teaches the skills and knowledge 

needed to inspect research programs that conduct environmental releases 

of transgenic plants classified as medium and high risk.

The Asian Longhorned beetle is one of many agricultural pests discussed in training. 

(taken by APHIS staff)
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Pesticide Certification Training: A self-instructional course completed at the 

employee’s duty station prior to attending a simulation workshop. The course 

covers important information about pesticides, including labels, application 

equipment, and personal protection equipment. The U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency has approved the PDC to certify PPQ employees for pesticide applications relating to program activities. This course is a prerequisite 

to the Fumigation Workshop and the General Use Pesticides Workshop (detailed below).

Fumigation Workshop: A workshop designed for employees who are required 

to use fumigants as part of their duties. Course topics include fumigants used 

by PPQ, approved methods of fumigation, calibration and use of equipment, 

and simulation of a tarpaulin fumigation.

General Use Pesticides Workshop: The workshop focuses on the use of pesticides in PPQ’s emergency and domestic programs. The workshop reviews 

PPQ’s history of pesticide use and emphasizes how to read pesticide labels, 

perform calculations, and safely handle pesticides.

GUP workshop (taken by Andrea Simao)
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Treatment Training 

In collaboration with APHIS’ Quarantine Policy Analysis and Support, Center for Plant Health Science and Technology, and PPQ field offices, PHS is 

designing and developing training programs for specialized treatment training. The programs include:

•	 Cold Treatment Facility Certification Training: An e-learning course that 

teaches participants how to certify cold treatment facilities located in 

ships, containers, and warehouses. 

Cold treatment vessel inspection being conducted by PPQ. 

(taken by Larry Zaleski) 
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•	 Hot Water Immersion Training: Teaches participants how to conduct 

hot water treatment of fruits for movement to the U.S. mainland or for 

export to the United States. The course also covers how to inspect facilities and calibrate equipment.

Hot water treatment of mangoes in Puerto Rico (taken by APHIS staff)
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•	 Forced Hot Air Training: A self-taught course covering how to conduct 

a High Temperature Forced Air/Vapor Heat (HTFA/VH) treatment. 

Participants also learn how to certify facilities and shipments.

Export Certification Training: Initial training introduces concepts, covers 

policy and general procedures, and explains how to use operational tools. 

The target audience is entry-level PPQ Plant Health Safeguarding Specialists 

and new State or county cooperators who are responsible for inspecting and 

certifying commodities for export and for issuing export certificates. PHS 

also offers a 1-day re-accreditation course for active Authorized Certification 

Officials who must maintain their accreditation at a minimum of every 3 

years. The course includes a pre-work exercise, classroom lessons, and a reaccreditation test. 
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PPQ Cooperator Training

Location: Glynco, Georgia

PPQ’s Cooperator Training Unit (CTU) unit is located at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia. CTU is responsible 

for designing, developing, and delivering training and educational programs 

for Federal and military cooperators, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the 

National Plant Board, PPQ’s Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance 

unit, and foreign entities (e.g., the Japanese shipping industry). The training provides the basic skills to recognize threats to American agriculture and 

natural resources. In addition, the training focuses on regulating agricultural 

commodities and other articles of agricultural concern to prevent the entry and spread of foreign plant pests or animal diseases into and within the 

United States. 

Staff instructing students (taken by CTU staff)
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CTU Training Activities and Services

APHIS Training for U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

CTU’s agriculture courses provide CBP personnel with an overview of DHS’ 

agriculture mission. The agriculture training at the CBP Academy in Glynco, 

Georgia, helps equip CBP personnel with the skills they need to safeguard 

American agriculture and natural resources. The academy offers the following courses:

•	 Basic CBP Officer Training

•	 APHIS Training for CBP Import Specialists

•	 CBP Officer Spanish Language Training

•	 CBP Academy Instructors - Agriculture Fundamentals

Baggage inspection training (taken by CTU staff)
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APHIS Training for Asian Gypsy Moth: Assists Japanese ship inspectors in conducting Asian gypsy moth vessel inspections in Japan. PDC Senior Training Specialists deliver the training in Japan to employees of various Japanese 

companies.

APHIS Training for Fish and Wildlife Officers: Teaches Fish and Wildlife Officers to recognize items of potential risk to American agriculture and refer 

the items to a CBPAS.

APHIS Training for Military Cooperators: Develops material to train military 

personnel to provide agriculture clearance at military installations where it 

would benefit the shared PPQ/CBP mission. The training gives military personnel specific skills to act on behalf of CBP.
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Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance (SITC) Curriculum:

In collaboration with SITC management, CTU is designing and developing 

training programs for specialized SITC training. The three curricula are:

•	 Basic Officer Training—Designed for entry-level SITC officers that 

include e-learning, classroom instruction, and hands-on practical exercises.

•	 Experienced Officer Training—This course teaches participants the legal 

authorities and operational guidelines designed for an experienced officer.

•	 Operational Analyst Training—This course teaches new and experienced 

SITC analysts skills to analyze and close the complicated pathways, which 

are not visible without analysis. 

For more information about CTU, contact: 

PPQ PDC CTU at (912) 554-4243

SITC training (taken by CTU staff)
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National Detector Dog Training Center 

Location: Orlando, Florida

Location in April 2009: Newnan, Georgia

The National Detector Dog Training Center (NDDTC) is responsible for designing, developing, and delivering training courses in the field of agriculture 

canine scent detection. The center also recruits and trains all canines that are 

assigned to students. Personnel serve as subject matter experts in the field of 

canine agriculture scent detection and provide program development support 

for Federal Government agencies as well as State and foreign governments. 

The NDDTC’s areas of responsibility include:

•	 Organizational, job, task, and training needs analyses;

•	 Instructional design, development, delivery, and evaluation;

•	 Procurement and training of canines; and

•	 Certification of agriculture canine teams.
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NDDTC Training Activities and Services

Basic Canine Handler/Officer: A 10- or 13-week course that prepares 

students to perform their occupational duties as canine handlers. Upon 

completion of the course, students work at various ports of entry. The 

course is designed for employees of USDA, DHS, and State and foreign 

governments.

Students are instructed in the fundamentals of canine health care, canine behavior, and canine training in a traditional classroom environment. Students 

acquire basic canine handling skills and develop inspectional techniques 

through increasingly difficult practical exercises. 

Instructors evaluate, document, and review student progress weekly. The course 

is structured to accommodate various pathways and AQI operations, including 

cargo, parcel, and conveyance inspections and passenger clearance.

Daniel Williamson and partner Chica (taken by Sgt. Burnson)
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Agriculture Canine Trainer: A 14- or 17-week course that provides the technical training required to procure and prepare canines for detection duties and 

to provide basic canine handling training to new canine handlers. Instruction is tailored to application pathways and target material of interest to each 

agency. The course is designed for employees of USDA, DHS, and State and 

foreign governments.

Major areas of instruction include canine procurement and temperament 

testing, canine protocol training, canine behavior, canine health, canine olfaction, canine proficiency training, instructional delivery, performance analysis, 

problem solving, weekly student evaluations, and team validations. Students 

build a foundation of knowledge in the classroom environment and then apply it in practice under the direction of an NDDTC Training Specialist. 

CBP canine officer Luis Macias (taken by Jodi Daughtery)
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The course is structured to begin 4 weeks prior to the Basic Canine Handler 

course. The student spends the first 4 weeks in one-on-one instruction with 

an NDDTC Training Specialist. The student then participates in a full class 

as a secondary instructor. 

Customs and Border Protection—Canine Field Trainer: A 2-week course that 

provides the technical training required to maintain proficient agriculture canine teams in the field. Students are CBP employees selected to work at various ports of entry and to maintain the CBPAS canine teams stationed there.

Students are prepared to conduct routine field training for established canine 

teams, solve problems related to canine team utilization, review training and 

utilization documentation, and install newly graduated teams into the work 

environment. Students are introduced to the agriculture canine program’s 

history and development and agriculture canine utilization areas. They also 

learn the basics of canine training and problem solving and how to conduct 

annual certifications of agriculture canine teams. The training uses a combination of traditional classroom instruction and practical exercises.

Installation Evaluation: A 1-week evaluation designed as a followup for certain courses conducted at the NDDTC. Students are visited at their duty 

locations 4 to 6 weeks after successfully completing NDDTC training and 

are evaluated on their transition from a training environment to a working 

environment. The evaluation is designed for employees of USDA, DHS, and 

State and foreign governments.
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Canine Replacement Training: A 3-week course that pairs a previously trained 

canine handler/officer with a new canine partner. The course focuses on the 

formation of a new canine team. Training is conducted at a location other 

than the duty station to allow the student to focus on transitioning to working with a new partner. Emphasis is placed on team rapport and bonding. 

The latest training techniques also are introduced. The course is designed for 

employees of USDA, DHS, and State and foreign governments.

Guam class for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Brown Tree Snake Program

(taken by Kathleen Ward)
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Canine Team Certifications 

The NDDTC also conducts annual canine team certifications to ensure that 

the teams are performing at the desired proficiency level. The certification 

process also can identify strengths and weaknesses of a team. 

For more information about NDDTC, contact:

PPQ PDC NDDTC at (407) 816-1221
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Glossary

AQAS – Agricultural Quarantine Inspection Activity System

AQI – Agricultural Quarantine Inspection

APHIS – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

BEI – Behavioral Event Interview

CBP – U.S. Customs and Border Protection

CBPAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialist

CTU – Cooperator Training Unit

DHS – U.S. Department of Homeland Security

ESS – Experienced Supervisors’ Seminar

FLETC – Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

HTFA/VH – High Temperature Forced Air/Vapor Heat

LDOS – Leadership Development and Organizational Support

L-21 – Leading in the 21st Century

NDDTC – National Detector Dog Training Center

NSS – New Supervisors’ Seminar

PHS – Plant Health Safeguarding

PPQ – Plant Protection and Quarantine

PDC – Professional Development Center

SAFE – Serving Abroad Families Employees

SITC – Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance
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