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Must be a slow day for the CBP media team as CBP has released a third piece on pest-free flowers for Valentine’s Day. This release features the agriculture specialists at Boston Logan airport (BOS) which is also in the Top 10 nationwide for flower imports into the United States.

This media release highlights the agriculture specialists working hard to ensure the importer flowers do not have pests or diseases that can cause damage to US agriculture.

Last year during Valentine’s Day, CBP agriculture specialists discovered 2,992 pests after processing about 1.4 billion cut flower stems. 2018 saw an increase of 33% in inspection of cut flower stems compared to 2017’s 1.09 billion.

If CBP finds pests or diseases, they will typically treat and release, re-export or destroy the flowers. Most invasive pests include the species of Margarodidae, Arion and Miridae, commonly known as mealy bugs, slugs, and plant or leaf bugs, respectively. Most of the flower shipments to the US are from South America, primarily Colombia and Ecuador.

If you have had a seizure detained or seized by Customs, or Customs has found invasive pests in your wood packaging material, contact experienced bug attorney David Hsu at attorney.dave@yahoo.com or by phone/text: 832.896.6288.