Ahead of Mother's Day taking place this weekend, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists working at El Paso area ports of entry are gearing up to make sure that personal and commercial flower importations are free from insects, pests, and diseases.
CBP said this is to prevent any potential harm to the agricultural and floral industries of the U.S. Mother's Day is observed in Mexico on Saturday, May 10, and the U.S. observance is Sunday, May 11.
"This is always one of the busiest weeks of the year for CBP agriculture specialists. Typically, we note an increase in the number of floral imports arriving at area ports of entry," CBP director of Field Operations in El Paso, Hector Mancha, said. "Vigilant CBP agriculture specialists are hard at work making certain that any imported floral arrangements are free from insects, pests, and disease. The public can help by declaring all agricultural products they are importing."
CBP said this time of year, they see a surge of flower imports in the region, and to protect U.S. crops and the environment, certain flowers, plants, and soil are not allowed to cross the border. These restrictions are in place to prevent the spread of invasive species and plant-related illnesses that can damage crops and result in expensive containment efforts and limits on exports, CBP said.
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