U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture medical specialist across the United States are in use tapping and shaking cut flower shipments to ensure Valentine ’s Day flowers are secure for the American populace .
“ With the gamey requirement for flower during Valentine ’s Day , the number of blossom cargo will increase importantly during the season , making it a very busy time for CBP agriculture specialists , ” enunciate John Sagle , CBP Acting Executive Director of Agriculture Programs and Trade Liaison . “ Even during COVID , there has been no retardation in the number of flower being imported . Our agriculture medical specialist are standing quick on the front lines assure that import flowered arrangements are devoid from insects , pests and disease . ”
Valentine ’s Day , Mother ’s Day , and the Easter vacation weekend are the busiest time of the year for CBP Agriculture Specialists .
Traditionally , Valentine ’s Day , Mother ’s Day , and the Easter vacation weekend are the officious times of the year for CBP agriculture medical specialist . CBP agriculture specialists are the last line in the battle against the introduction of insects , pests and diseases into the United States . In January 2022 alone , they inspect more than 382,000 dispatch of cut flowers from Europe , Africa and South America , intercepting 628 important pests of motley metal money .
At more than 497,700,000 stems , the high-pitched act of flower stem come from Colombia , most being shipped through the Miami International Airport . The most popular heyday include blush wine , mixed corsage , and chrysanthemums .
While it is not illegal to import flowers from other state , certain flowers and plant materials commonly happen in floral arrangements are restricted because they may carry plant pests and disease that can make price to U.S. agriculture . A individual pest could cause millions of dollars of damage to the nation ’s crop . According to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service , the Noctuidae family , or owlet moth , for example , include more than 35,000 know coinage that are report to feed on a reach of herbs , shrubs , and trees , including crop plants such as bean and corn .
A CBP Agriculture Specialist inspect flower bud for pests .
CBP advocate that hoi polloi who wish to spell flowers , plant life material , and other agricultural items consult the CBP Information Center division on the CBP website before they travel , or call ( 877 ) 227 - 5511 . Travelers should also declare all items acquire abroad to CBP policeman to quash civil or criminal penalty and reduce the peril of insert pest and disease to the United States . CBP now offers the CBP One nomadic app , which set aside travelers to quest a variety of CBP services , include inspection of agricultural product . The CBP One app can be download for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play .
