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About International Services

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Our International Services team acts globally to protect U.S. agriculture locally. With

Foreign Service Officers and technical experts located around the world, we work to

ensure the free flow of agricultural trade, help other countries enhance their animal

and plant health infrastructures, and build and manage sustainable programs that

keep harmful pests from spreading. Here’s a closer look at our work.

Trade

Our Trade Support Team helps keep export markets open by advocating on behalf of

American agriculture. Based in the United States and abroad, our experts address

plant and animal health trade barriers that could limit U.S. access to foreign

markets. We build relationships with international counterparts and use scientific

principles to assure them that our commodities are safe to import.

We work alongside the following APHIS operational programs and many other teams,

organizations, and agencies involved in global trade. 

Biotechnology Regulatory Services 

APHIS Biotechnology Regulatory Services helps ensure that products developed

using genetic engineering are safe for U.S. agriculture and the environment.
Plant Protection and Quarantine 

The Plant Protection and Quarantine program safeguards our agriculture and natural

resources against the entry, establishment, and spread of significant pests.
Veterinary Services 

APHIS Veterinary Services, the veterinary authority in the United States, improves

animal health and products.
Capacity Building

International Technical and Regulatory Capacity Building

Our International Technical and Regulatory Capacity Building team supports APHIS

posts overseas by providing subject matter expertise, training, and other technical

assistance. We have expertise on a wide range of topics, including:

Veterinary epidemiology

Regulatory processes and policy

Wildlife control and surveillance

Pest risk assessment

Biotechnology

Laboratory diagnostics

Transboundary animal diseases

Representation, Foreign Visitors, and Protocol Office
Our Representation, Foreign Visitors, and Protocol Office coordinates and supports

foreign delegations seeking to understand APHIS program activities or exchange

technical information through subject matter expertise and field visits. This includes

visits to our offices in Riverdale, MD, and Washington, DC.

To request these services or schedule a visit, email us at

iscapacitybuilding@usda.gov.

Sterile Fly Release Programs

To prevent dangerous pests from entering the United States, we must help other

countries do the same. We cosponsor programs in Mexico, Panama, and Guatemala

to eradicate the following pests:

New World Screwworm Fly 

Cochliomyia hominivorax

Mediterranean Fruit Fly 

Ceratitis capitata, also known as medfly
Mexican Fruit Fly 

Anastrepha ludens, also known as mexfly

International Services At-a-Glance

Here's a snapshot of our accomplishments in 2022 (15.96 MB):

Facilitated new markets for a wide range of U.S.-origin animals and animal

products, including bovine meat and bone meal to Peru worth an estimated $5

million per year; wheat to Fiji worth an estimated $3 million per year; sheep

and goats to Senegal worth an estimated $800,000 per year; and bovine, ovine,

and caprine genetics to Tunisia worth an estimated $500,000 per year

Worked with foreign partners and other APHIS experts to resolve challenges

posed by pest detections, trading partner regulatory changes, and other issues,

helping to preserve threatened markets for U.S.-origin goods, including poultry

products to the Philippines (valued at $158 million in 2021) and eggs to Brazil

(valued at $26 million in 2021), among other markets threatened by the avian

influenza outbreaks in the United States
Expanded market access in Mexico for U.S. potato exports, providing a market

potential of $250 million per year in 5 years

Negotiated with foreign officials in-country to resolve delays with 261 U.S.

shipments at foreign ports, totaling more than $94 million

Produced 1.04 billion sterile Mediterranean fruit flies weekly at the El Pino

sterile insect facility in Guatemala, supporting preventative release programs in

California and Florida, along with population control efforts in Guatemala and

Mexico

Produced 5.24 billion sterile Mexican fruit flies at the San Miguel Petapa facility

in Guatemala (an average of 100.8 million weekly) to support eradication

activities in Texas and California. These flies also supported preventive release

programs in northern Mexico, Texas, and California to help protect America’s

valuable citrus production

Released 20 million sterile New World screwworm flies weekly to maintain a

biological barrier in Panama and Colombia to protect screwworm-free areas in

North and Central America

Hosted 5 virtual sessions for 107 foreign officials from Canada, Mexico, and the

Philippines to build awareness of the U.S. regulatory process and ease future

market access and resumed in-person meetings, with 3 sessions attended by

29 officials from 5 countries

Contact Us

International Services Offices

APHIS has Foreign Service Officers and staff in over 25 countries overseas. Contact a

specific office for questions about available animal and plant health inspection

services in that country. Some countries are serviced by staff in other countries.

Your contact office may be in another country.

- Select a Country - ▾

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