APHIS Continues Efforts To Prevent Pest Problems

While much has been accomplished in its 50 years of existence, the Administrator of USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Kevin Shea, said efforts to prevent and control pest and disease threats will never really end. For instance, he pointed to efforts to keep African Swine Fever out of our country.

"We are working two-fold. One, with our customs and boarder protection partners at the border. They are looking at any products; any baggage.  Things that come into the country from the Dominican Republic, or Haiti that could contain pork, or other products, that could spread that disease.   We're also on the ground in the Dominican Republic helping them to eradicate it."

Shea added innovation, whether in the form of technologies, or strategies, is essential in assuring plant and animal health in the U.S.

"X-ray machines that we use at the borders with our customs and border protection friends to find things that might be contained in product.  We often will inspect things in the foreign country before it gets here so that we can catch the pest before it even leaves the other country."

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