A trip to your local plant nursery or florist is a lot like
taking a trip around the world. You can find anything from
boxwood from England, to roses from Colombia, to tulip bulbs
from the Netherlands—the list goes on and on! Just as a myriad
of plants, seeds and cut flowers come to us from around the
world, so can plant pests and diseases. Non-native pests and
diseases can hitchhike into the United States on shipments of
plants and escape into the natural environment. If these pests
are introduced here, they can devastate home gardens and
landscapes, nurseries, farms, and natural areas. In today’s
booming global marketplace, how can we prevent invaders from
wreaking havoc in the United States? For USDA’s Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the fight against invasive
plant pests and disease begins on the front line—when plants
enter the United States. APHIS operates special facilities,
called plant inspection stations, at major international
airports, seaports, and crossings along the U.S.-Mex