see also: in August 2007 News Releases:   Border Patrol Agents Seize Drugs at California Checkpoint   Palm Beach, Fla. Welcomes New Tool in Fighting Terror Weapons   Drug Seizure Activity at Border Ports Remains Brisk; El Paso CBP Nabs More Than 2 Tons of Pot   Yuma Border Agents Help Local Police Track 3 Fleeing Burglary Scene   CBP Officers at Laredo, Texas Entry Seize Almost $6 Million in Drugs in Two Seizures   Suspected Smuggling Lookouts Captured in Desert   1st Director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Northwest Retires ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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New York City — U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at John F. Kennedy International Airport examine, on average, 30 to 35 shipments of cut flowers arriving each day from many different countries from around the world.

A recent shipment of 76 cartons of various cut flowers imported from the Netherlands included ever popular chrysanthemums. However, 300 stems of these colorful flowers, variety “sa Greenfield,” were affected by a devastating plant pathogen, Chrysanthemum White Rust (Puccinia horiana). This destructive fungal disease has the potential to be extremely damaging for many varieties of plants used in the horticultural industry if it becomes established in the United States.

White Rust is extremely difficult and costly to eradicate, and though not established here, it has been introduced, detected and eradicated in a number of locations. Since May, agriculture specialists at JFK have intercepted this pest at least eight times on cut flowers from the Netherlands. There have been interceptions from Ecuador as well.

This shipment of infected flowers was destroyed.

At U.S. ports of entry, land borders and international mail facilities, CBP agriculture specialists are specially trained to prevent the introduction of foreign plant and animal pests and diseases into the United States.

For more information on the role of CBP agricultural inspections, please visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Web site at Protecting the Food Supply: Agriculture Inspections. ( Agriculture )

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.