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CBP Agriculture Specialists Inspect Valentine’s Day Flowers

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Public Affairs - Visual Communications Division

Feb. 2, 2022 | 2:08

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialists across the United States are busy tapping and shaking cut flower shipments to ensure Valentine’s Day flowers are safe for the American public. CBP agriculture specialists are the last line in the fight against the introduction of insects, pests and diseases into the United States. In January 2022 alone, they inspected more than 382,000 shipments of cut flowers from Europe, Africa and South America, intercepting 628 significant pests of varying species. Certain flowers and plant materials commonly found in floral arrangements are restricted because they may carry plant pests and diseases that can cause damage to U.S. agriculture. A single pest could cause millions of dollars of damage to the nation’s crops.