When people think of sending flowers for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day, the acronym FTD might come to mind. Add USDA and CBP to the list.
Here's one thing you probably haven't realized about the long-stemmed beauties you got from your Valentine. They've been rid of pesky insects and diseases, thanks to some important steps taken by the federal government.
Every year, millions of boxes of cut flowers are brought into the United States.
Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists make sure that, over the course of their long journey, these flowers haven't met up with "hitchhikers" - bugs and diseases that don't currently exist in the U.S.
CBP works with the Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and importers to ensure they provide the proper documents for each flower shipment. If not, shipments may be held up or refused.
Miami International Airport leads all U.S. airports in flower shipments, receiving 12 to 15 million stems of roses daily during peak times.
Protecting our agricultural and floral industries - it's just another way our government works!
