In March, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ag specialists turned away multiple shipments containing pests posing risks to the U.S. ag sector.
On March 17 in Michigan, ag inspectors discovered giant African snails in luggage arriving from Ghana.
These snails are known to feed on more than 500 plants and can produce up to 2,500 eggs per year.
And on March 7, CBP ag agents in Texas found a tortoise beetle in a pineapple shipment arriving from Mexico.
This beetle, which is related to leaf beetles, feeds on multiple crops including sweet potato, cabbage, corn and strawberries.