Plant Pest Survey
Given the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), several states have taken initiatives to develop agreements which support the export of agricultural crops and commodities. A primary concern of importing countries in the negotiation of these agreements is the risk of introducing exotic or threatening pests. U.S. exporters face a host of phytosanitary barriers around the world resulting in millions of dollars of lost trade opportunities.
To help resolve this concern, a list of known pests associated with a crop or commodity is required by the importing country. In some cases, the crop or commodity is prohibited from export if the target pest is known to occur in the exporting state. In other situations, the importer allows entry, providing that the state can declare that a particular pest does not occur in the country of origin or growing site. Statewide pest survey programs that are supported by USDA-APHIS-PPQ through the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) can help address these phytosanitary concerns. The CAPS Program utilizes a National Agricultural Pest Information System (NAPIS) database for efficient pest management.
Proper funding for the CAPS Program should continue so that pest data can be collected and the exporting of agricultural crops and commodities can be enhanced. States should also consider conducting survey programs to complement the federal program.