1 of 2 | Roses of different colors reside in a freezer, waiting to be selected for Valentines Day arrangements at Walter Knoll Florists in St. Louis this past month. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said on Wednesday that the agency has inspected more than 1 billion cut flower shipments since Jan. 1. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said on Wednesday that the agency has inspected more than 1 billion cut flower shipments since Jan. 1.
CBP officials check cut flowers for pests and diseases that could harm U.S. agricultural and floral industries. Advertisement
“Increased shipments of flowers make this a very busy time for CBP, but our agriculture specialists are ready and able to meet this demand while safeguarding our nation against agricultural threats,” acting CBP commissioner Troy Miller said in a Valentine’s Day statement.
Through Feb. 13, the CBP found 1,830 flowers containing pests and insects, including 877 potentially harmful ones that potentially could have spread disease in the United States.
A small number of pests capable of causing harm are found among the millions of flower stems inspected each year, according to the CBP, which said that just one harmful pest has the potential to lead to millions of dollars in damages.
Last year, the CBP said it inspected more than 352 million flower bouquets, 76 million roses, and 75 million chrysanthemums.
The three top U.S. ports of entry for cut flowers are New York City, Miami and Otay Mesa, Calif., according to the CBP. Advertisement
Online visitors can access the CBP regulations for importing agricultural products, including cut flowers, into the United States.
