NEW YORK, NY – Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agriculture Specialists, working at the New York/New Jersey area ports of entry, are busy making sure that imported flowers used in Valentine’s Day bouquets are free from insects, pests, and diseases that could harm the agricultural and floral industries throughout the United States.
“Valentine’s Day flowers can be a lovely present for that special someone, however they can carry pests that could cause serious damage to our Nation’s agriculture and natural resources,” said New York Field Operations Director, Frank Russo. “This is why our CBP Agriculture Specialists are poised every holiday season to prevent the introduction of harmful insects and diseases in the United States.”
So far in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, leading up to Valentine’s Day, CBP Agriculture Specialists in New York processed approximately 16,000,000 cut flowers from more than 54 countries, consisting of various types of flowers, such as jasmine, tuberose, roses, tulips, and orchids.
At international ports of entry, land borders, and mail facilities, CBP Agriculture Specialists are the front line in the fight against the introduction of harmful insects, pests, and diseases into the United States.