Summer is a great time for traveling and being outdoors, but those two factors combined can contribute to the spread of Agriculture pests that can ruin crops and Ag economies. According to the Florida Farm Bureau, the Sunshine State sees a new pest at least once a month. Such pests might be new to Florida, new to North America or even new to the Western Hemisphere, but they all pose a threat to Florida’s $120 Billion dollar Ag Industry.
In 2011, the ‘Don’t Pack a Pest’ initiative was created to raise awareness concerning invasive and destructive insects, plants, animals and pathogens. It highlights the importance of declaring items that are coming into the state of Florida. The list of items that can harbor a pest include fruits and vegetables, plant materials and cut flowers, animal products and firewood, just to name a few. The Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services encourages everyone to declare agriculture products such as those listed above when coming in to the state of Florida. Many states have laws against allowing certain products—such as bringing firewood in from another state—from crossing their borders in an effort to control the introduction of pests and invasive species.
FLDACS offers the website DontPackaPest.com for consumers to find rules and regulations on international travel guidelines, customs information, prohibited items and more. Make sure your summer plans don’t include invasive pests.
