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Dallas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport are examining flower imports used in area Valentine’s Day bouquets for pests and diseases that could harm the nation’s agricultural and floral industries.

“Our agriculture specialists are experts in entomology, botany, and other scientific fields,” said CBP Field Operations Director Jeffrey O. Baldwin Sr. “When agriculture shipments arrive from abroad, our specialists carefully comb through those shipments searching for pests or plant disease that could hurt our nation’s agriculture. This is a very busy time for flower imports and our specialists understand how significant their work is.”

	CBP agriculture specialists at Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport inspects flowers to assure that they are pest-free.

Last year, Dallas CBP agriculture specialists discovered the Trichapion colon Sharp, a species of insect never before recorded in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Pest ID database. The pest was discovered in a shipment of mixed herbs.

On a typical day during fiscal year 2008, the 2,277 agriculture specialists employed by CBP nationwide seized 4,125 prohibited meat, plant materials or animal products, including 435 agricultural pests at ports of entry. During last year’s Valentine’s Day season, CBP processed more than 500 million cut flower stems nationwide. ( Image Library Photo: Agriculture Specialists )

The most common type of insect found in cut flower imports is the Lepidoptera larva (moth). The larvae for this insect is considered more destructive to trees than any other group of insects.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection 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.