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1-1-2007

APHIS’ Plant Inspection Stations: Protecting

American Agriculture From Foreign Pests and

Diseases

United States Department fo Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

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United States Department fo Agriculture and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, "APHIS’ Plant Inspection Stations:

Protecting American Agriculture From Foreign Pests and Diseases" (2007). All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional

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http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/govdocs/473
APHIS’ Plant 

Inspection Stations 

Protecting American 

Agriculture From Foreign 

Pests and Diseases

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection 

Service

Program Aid 

No. 1942
Cover photos: More than 1 billion plants are imported into 

the United States each year. At the Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service’s (APHIS) plant inspection stations at U.S. 

ports-of-entry, these plants are inspected to ensure that they 

are free of pests and diseases. (These images and all others 

in the brochure except the historical picture of cherry trees and 

the shot of a seedling in a human hand were taken by APHIS 

photographer R. Anson Eaglin).

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.
3

I

n 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. The results of such 

introductions can have a devastating effect on the U.S. food supply, damage 

our natural resources, and cost hundreds of millions of dollars in eradication 

and control measures that ultimately result in higher priced agricultural 

products for the consumer.

If a pest or disease is imported with a 

plant or seed intended for planting, it is 

much more likely to survive and become 

established because it is arriving on its 

own food source.

Each year, Plant Health Safeguarding Specialists with the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS) inspect a large volume of plants that are mailed, carried, 

and shipped into this country by brokers, travelers, and nursery owners. In 

fiscal year (FY) 2006 alone, more than 1.3 billion plants were imported 

into the United States. Such imports go through a series of overlapping 

safeguarding measures before entry into the country to prevent the 

introduction of exotic pests and diseases (e.g., the Asian longhorned beetle 

and a damaging strain of potato brown rot that could be imported on 

geraniums) that threaten U.S. agriculture and natural resources.
4

Once the commodities arrive in the United States, specialists with 

APHIS’ Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program perform their own 

inspections of these plants, cuttings, and seeds and review all associated 

permits and documentation to ensure that the shipments comply with import 

regulations and that any pest or disease risks are sufficiently mitigated. To 

assist in this effort, PPQ has established 17 plant inspection stations located 

at ports-of-entry throughout the country at major international airports and 

seaports and at major crossings along the U.S.–Mexican border.

At these plant inspection stations, PPQ also enforces the rules and 

regulations that apply to the import and export of plant species protected 

by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Convention on International 

Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The plant inspection stations’ dedicated team of botanists, entomologists, 

plant pathologists, plant health safeguarding specialists, and support 

personnel execute this complex mission through various means, such as:

•	 Inspecting propagative plant material for importation into the United

States;

•	 Using technologically advanced tools and techniques to deliver an

accurate identification of plants, seeds, and plant pests in a timely 

manner;

•	 Applying chemical and nonchemical treatments to disinfest and disinfect

plant material against pests and disease organisms;

•	 Issuing Federal phytosanitary (plant health) certificates for plants, seeds,

and plant products being exported from the United States to ensure that 

they are free of pests and diseases; and

•	 Regulating plants and plant products in support of the ESA and CITES.

PPQ export certification 

specialists at Miami’s 

plant inspection station 

complete a phytosanitary 

certificate for the export 

of agricultural goods from 

the United States.
5

The Evolution of the Plant Inspection Stations

In January 1910, as a gift from the Japanese Government, the United States 

received a shipment of 2,000 flowering cherry trees. Unfortunately, USDA 

detected a number of exotic insects, diseases, and nematodes on these 

small trees, and the shipment had to be destroyed. Since then, a number 

of laws were passed to better protect American agriculture, including 

the Plant Quarantine Act of 1912, the Plant Pest Act in 1957, the Federal 

Noxious Weed Act in 1974, and finally the Plant Protection Act (PPA) in 

2000. The PPA consolidates all or part of 10 existing plant health laws into 

one comprehensive law, including the authority to regulate plants, plant 

products, certain biological control organisms, noxious weeds, and plant 

pests.

The plantings of cherry trees around the Jefferson Memorial in 

Washington, DC, symbolize the natural beauty of our Nation’s capital. 

But the trees in the original shipment received in January 1910—a gift 

from the Japanese Government—had to be destroyed by USDA after 

they were found to be infested with insects, nematodes, and diseases 

not known to exist in the United States. More vigorous phytosanitary 

practices ensured that subsequent importations of cherry trees 

entered without such risks. (USDA photo by Bob Nichols.)
6

The tragic events of September 11, 2001, inspired Congress to pass the 

Agriculture Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002. That same year, new 

legislation created the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 

to unify Federal inspection forces and protect our Nation from a host of 

terrorist threats. More than 22 Federal agencies consolidated into the 

new department, including much of APHIS’ PPQ workforce. However, 

Congress recognized that the inspection of imported plants and seeds was 

a unique and important task most appropriately handled by agricultural

professionals. Therefore, lawmakers decided to keep the inspection 

responsibilities for imported plants and seeds, a high-risk pathway for pest 

introduction, with USDA, APHIS, PPQ.
7

To get a better perspective on the magnitude of the work being done 

at the 17 plant inspection stations nationwide, consider these FY 2006 

statistics:

APHIS inspected

•	 More than 1.3 billion nonendangered plants and plant parts (excluding

seeds)

•	 More than 33 million endangered plants and plant parts (excluding seeds)

•	 More than 1.4 million kg of seeds

APHIS intercepted

•	 More than 3,300 quarantine-significant pests or diseases

APHIS treated

•	 More than 17 million plants or plant parts (excluding seeds)

•	 More than 15,000 kg of seeds

APHIS’ plant inspection stations have evolved from their developmental 

stage in the first half of the 20th century into one of the agency’s most visible 

assets in safeguarding American agriculture in the new millennium.

Some APHIS plant inspection stations have big incinerators 

to destroy infested plant material onsite. These incinerators 

operate through the use of natural gases and have two 

chambers—one to burn the infested material and one to burn 

the ashes that are emitted by the first chamber. This setup 

ensures that no pollutants are released into the environment.
8

 

Plant Germplasm Inspection Station

PPQ also operates a specialized facility, known as 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 what is known as a “Departmental Permit” and are 

sent to the inspection station in Beltsville, where they are examined and, if 

necessary, treated before being allowed to move forward to the receiving 

facility approved on the Departmental Permit.

Importing Plants, Plant Products, and Seeds

Under authority of the PPA, PPQ requires permits for the importation and

transit of plants and plant products. The rules found in the Code of Federal 

Regulations at Title 7, part 319 prohibit or restrict the importation of certain

plants and plant products to prevent introducing exotic plant pests into the 

country.

All imported articles intended for propagation, including seeds, must 

also be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate of inspection by the 

exporting country. Phytosanitary certificates verify that the shipment 

has been inspected by the exporting country’s national plant protection 

service and found to be free of plant pests or diseases prior to export. The 

certificates also identify the plants by their scientific names and confirm that 

the shipment meets U.S. regulations for importation.

U.S. importers should secure agricultural permits for shipments far in 

advance of their transport. Import permits may be obtained from:

USDA–APHIS–PPQ

Permit Unit

4700 River Road, Unit 133

Riverdale, MD 20737

Toll free: (877) 770–5990
9

You can also apply for and receive permits online through a system 

known as ePermits. ePermits is a Web-based tool that allows you to apply 

for a permit, check its status, and view it on the Internet. The new system, 

which is being released in multiple phases, also enables Federal regulatory 

officials to issue, track, and rapidly verify the validity of import permits. 

The system minimizes the time it takes to complete permit applications, 

process the data internally, and issue the permits. To find out which permits 

are available online, please visit <http://www.aphis.usda.gov/permits>.

When a shipment arrives at a PPQ plant inspection station, plant 

health safeguarding specialists collect phytosanitary certificates from the 

importers. Typically, inspectors examine samples taken from each variety 

of plant and seed that is being imported. The inspection process includes 

a thorough examination of the leaves, stems, roots, and seeds of the plant. 

With the exception of only a few specified types, plants must not be rooted 

in growing media, such as soil, because insects, diseases, and noxious 

weeds could be hidden in there. Regulations also limit plant size and age to

ensure that the plants are a manageable size for the inspection process.

Plant health 

safeguarding 

specialists typically 

examine samples taken 

from each variety of 

seed being imported 

into the United States. 

Here, the seeds are 

undergoing a more 

indepth inspection 

process.
10

Ways To Import Plants, Plant Products, and Seeds

Plants, plant products, and seeds may be imported into the United States 

either by mail, freight, or passenger baggage.

Mail Shipments

Importers may mail plants and plant products directly to a plant 

inspection station. PPQ strongly recommends the following procedures for 

mailing plants:

1. Pack the plants in sturdy boxes or crates.

2.Indicate what is inside the package, as well as its origin, by clearly 

marking the outside of the package.

3. Use APHIS’ green and yellow mailing label, issued with the PPQ permit, 

to ensure proper handling of the package.

4.Include your name, address, telephone number, and permit number with 

the package so that inspectors can forward the package to you after 

inspection.

5.Enclose the original phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant 

protection service of the exporting country.

Passenger Baggage

Importers may bring in up to 12 soil-free plants or plant material and 

seeds of herbaceous plants that are not subject to prohibition or special 

requirements such as a permit, post-entry quarantine, treatment, or ESA

or CITES documentation. To import more than 12 plants, you must have 

a written permit and the plants must enter the United States at a port with 

a USDA plant inspection station, where clearance will take place. All 

quantities of plants or seeds must be accompanied by a phytosanitary

certificate from the exporting country unless the importer has been granted a 

USDA import permit exempting such documentation.

For importations other than the above, the importer should hire a customs 

broker to arrange for the delivery of freight, cargo, or unaccompanied 

baggage shipments.

For more information, please visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_

health/permits/nursery.shtml or call toll-free at (877) 770–5990.
11

Discovering a Plant Pest, Disease, or Weed

When plant health safeguarding specialists discover a pest, disease, or 

noxious weed in or on an imported plant or seed, they ensure that an 

accurate identification is made as soon as possible. The specialists refer 

all such interceptions to the appropriate technical specialists, known as 

identifiers, who examine the samples and determine the extent of harm 

they could cause. Should an identifier determine that the organism is not 

harmful and poses no economic threat to U.S. agriculture, the plants are 

released to the importer. If an identifier determines that an organism is a 

known plant pest and does not exist in the United States or exists here in 

limited distribution, the plants must undergo a quarantine treatment, be

reexported, or be destroyed. If the plants require fumigation treatment, the

PPQ specialist releases them for entry into the United States only after the 

treatment is completed.

A plant pathologist 

at the John F. 

Kennedy Airport’s 

plant inspection 

station completes a 

procedure for detecting 

parasitic nematodes 

from imported plant 

materials. Nematodes 

are microscopic 

organisms that feed 

on the roots of various 

plants, causing 

considerable yield loss.

The Asian 

longhorned 

beetle has been 

detected on 

imported Bonsai 

trees in the past. 

As a result PPQ 

made its import 

requirements for 

bonsai plants 

more stringent.
12

APHIS’ Commitment to CITES Enforcement

Sixteen of the 17 PPQ plant inspection stations have been approved to 

inspect plants that are protected by CITES, such as exotic orchids or cacti. 

An international agreement, CITES is a comprehensive treaty signed by 

more than 170 countries, including the United States. It regulates the 

commercial trade of endangered species and monitors the trade of species 

that are at risk of becoming endangered. Since the treaty’s ratification in 

1974, CITES representatives have worked tirelessly to protect the world’s 

plant and animal resources. 

Enforcement of CITES rules protecting plants and plant parts offered for 

importation is the shared responsibility of both USDA–APHIS–PPQ and 

DHS’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP). APHIS is responsible for 

enforcing plant quarantine laws and the CITES permit requirements during

plant inspections while CBP handles the inspection of nonliving CITES 

imports such as lumber and medicinal products.

More than 33 million of the 1.3 billion plants that were inspected for 

quarantine purposes in FY 2006 were regulated because of their status as

endangered species. APHIS also facilitated the export of 3 million CITESlisted plants and more than 2 million kg of CITES-related products, such as 

dried American ginseng roots. If plants protected by CITES arrive at a PPQ 

plant inspection station without the appropriate CITES permit or certificate, 

inspectors seize them immediately and offer 

them back to their country of origin at that 

country’s expense or place the plants in one of 

the many designated plant rescue centers in this 

country. There they are grown for research, 

breeding, or educational purposes.

To learn more about CITES, please 

visit the APHIS CITES Web site at <http:

//www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/

index.shtml>.

Most orchids, like the one shown here, are classified 

as threatened and are protected by CITES. 

Importers must have proper documentation before 

bringing CITES-protected plants into the United 

States.
13

You Can Help Protect American Agriculture

Whether mailing a boxwood from England, carrying propagated orchids 

back from Thailand, or shipping a load of philodendrons from Central 

America, you must follow USDA’s proper procedures for importing plants 

and plant products. By following these procedures, you will help protect 

American agriculture from foreign plant pests and diseases.

The plant inspection stations play a vital role in ensuring the 

health and value of the nation’s agriculture and its natural 

resources. (Agricultural Research Service photo by Scott 

Bauer.)
14

For More Information

Here is a list of PPQ plant inspection stations current as of June 

2007. But note that contact information is subject to change. 

Please contact PPQ’s Plant Safeguarding and Pest Identification 

unit at (301) 734–5312 or visit the APHIS Web site at http://www/

aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/plant_inspection_

stations.shtml for the most up-to-date information.

Arizona

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

9 North Grand Avenue, Room 2214

Nogales, AZ 85621

Phone: (520) 287–4783

Fax: (520) 287–6941

California

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

11840 S. La Cienega Blvd.

Hawthorne, CA 90250

Phone: (310) 725–1910

Fax: (310) 725–1913

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

389 Oyster Point Blvd., Suite 2

South San Francisco, CA 94080

Phone: (650) 876–9093

Fax: (650) 876–9008

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

9777 Via de la Amistad, Room 140

San Diego, CA 92154

Phone: (619) 661–3316

Fax: (619) 661–3047

Florida

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

3500 NW 62d Ave.

Miami, FL 33122

Phone: (305) 526–2825

Fax: (305) 871–4205

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

9317 Tradeport Drive

Orlando, FL 32827

Phone: (407) 648–6856

Fax: (407) 648–6859

Georgia

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

Hartsfield Perishables Complex

1270 Woolman Place

Atlanta, GA 30354

Phone: (404) 564–2176

Fax: (404) 564–2312/2305/2315

Guam

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

P.O Box 8769

Tamuning, GU 96931–6030

Phone: (671) 647–6030

Fax: (671) 647–6029

Hawaii

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

Honolulu International Airport

300 Rodgers Blvd., #57

Honolulu, HI 96819–1897

Phone: (808) 861–8494

Fax: (808) 861–8500
15

Louisiana

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

900 East Airline Service Road A

Kenner, LA 70063

Phone: (504) 464–0430

Fax: (504) 465–0968

Maryland

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

APHIS National Plant Germplasm 

Inspection Station

BARC–East, Bldg. 580

Beltsville, MD 20705

Phone: (301) 504–8141

Fax: (301) 504–8539

New Jersey

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

Frances Krim Memorial 

Inspection Station

2500 Brunswick Avenue, Building G

Linden, NJ 07036

Phone: (908) 862–2012

Fax: (908) 862–2095

New York

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

230-59 International Airport Centers 

 Boulevard

Building C—Suite 100, Room 109

Jamaica, NY 11413

Phone: (718) 553–1732

Fax: (718) 553–0060

Puerto Rico

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

150 Central Sector

Building C–2, Warehouse 3

Carolina, PR 00979

Phone: (787) 253–7850

Fax: (787) 253–4514

Texas

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

P.O. Drawer Box 393

100 Los Indios Blvd. 

Los Indios, TX 78567

Phone: (956) 399–2085

Fax: (956) 399–4001

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

19581 Lee Road

Humble, TX 77338

Phone: (281) 443–2063

Fax: (281) 443–7643

Washington

USDA, APHIS, PPQ

16215 Air Cargo Road, Suite 112

Seattle, WA 98158–1301

Phone: (206) 764–6547

Fax: (206) 764–3825