about 14 to 27 million and the pieces of baggage increased from about 10 million to nearly 28 million. About $50,000 of the increase would be allocated to the Bureau of Customs for the costs of making baggage inspection. As you will recall, we have been providing funds to the Bureau of Customs for some time in order not to have our inspectors duplicate their work in the inspection of baggage. We then use our people to assure proper disposal of unauthorized agricultural products intercepted by the Customs inspectors. For example, during the past year, some 40,000 different lots of prohibited or restricted meats were intercepted, mostly in passenger baggage. Pests of citrus crops were intercepted 2,000 times. Pests of apples, cherries, and other important fruits were intercepted 1,100 times and pests of vegetables 300 times. The chart shows other interceptions. (The justification statement follows:) AN INCREASE OF $230,000 FOR ADDITIONAL PLANT QUARANTINE INSPECTION AT PORTS OF ENTRY TO STRENGTHEN PROTECTION AGAINST THE INTRODUCTION OF FOREIGN PESTS AND DISEASES Need for increase.-The danger of destructive foreign insects, plant diseases. and other plant pests gaining entry into the United States is related directly to the volume of international travel and commerce. The number of foreign arrivals and travelers, and the volume of goods entering the country continue to increase steadily each year. As a result, plant quarantine workload continues to increase. In the face of such expanding foreign traffic, it is necessary to strengthen plant quarantine inspection activities to maintain the vital protection to the Nation's crops, forests, and ornamentals. The danger of pest entry is evidenced by the recent outbreak of Mediterranean fruitfly in Florida and the discovery of a new pest known as the cereal leaf beetle in the States of Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Requests for inspection and certification of domestic agricultural commodities for export have also increased. This activity is required in order to meet import requirements of foreign countries and is an important service which supports foreign marketing of American farm products. During fiscal year 1963 approximately 175 million people entered the United States, 15 mililon more than in fiscal year 1961. Travelers brought with them 4.4 million more pieces of baggage than in 1962 for inspection at ports of entry. an increase of approximately 19 percent. In addition, there were 145,601 aircraft arrivals, and 25.9 million vehicles crossing the Mexican border, an increase over 1962 of 8,307 and 1.2 million, respectively. Illustrations of the need for strengthening plant quarantine inspection activities are as follows: Entry of agricultural cargo by air is increasing at a very rapid rate. International air carriers now are using all-cargo jet planes capable of carrying a 40-ton payload. This method of transportation is ideal for shipment of perishable agricultural products subject to plant quarantine examination as a condition of entry. As air cargo continues to grow, increased inspection service at airports will be necessary to provide adequate plant quarantine coverage with a minimum of delay to international commerce. The recent northward spread of the Mediterranean fruitfly in Nicaragua, conpled with increased traffic on the Inter-American Highway, points out the need to strengthen inspection at Mexican border ports of entry. Should the fruitfly become established in Mexico and continue its northward movement, the danger to the southern fruitgrowing areas of the United States will be magnified greatly. Movement of military personnel, baggage, and cargo by air from foreign bases direct to inland areas of the United States is complicating the maintenance of adequate plant quarantine inspection. These arrivals are steadily increasing and have added to the inspection needs at ports of entry which in some cases may be several hundred miles distant from points where inspectors are regularly stationed. While military personnel have been most cooperative, the agricultural quarantine problems associated with these military movements add to the workload of the plant quarantine inspectors. In fiscal year 1963, a total of 44,063 export certificates were issued involving 75 million containers. This was an increase over 1962 of 13 percent in certificates issued and a 78-percent increase in containers certified. Direct foreign shipments of grain and grain products, such as flour, from Great Lakes ports is increasing rapidly as more shipping becomes available for Great Lakes navigation, harbors are deepened, and facilities such as docks, warehouses, and loading facilities are constructed. Similar expansion of loading facilities is being carried out at many other ports along the Atlantic, Pacific, and gulf coasts, particularly for grain which is now being shipped in much greater quantities to many more foreign countries. Changes are being made constantly by foreign governments in their import certification requirements. This involves inspection for additional insects and plant diseases and inspection of additional commodities. Plan of work. The proposed increase would provide for 18 additional plant quarantine inspectors and for the transfer of an additional $50,000 to the Bureau of Customs to enable that agency to employ inspectors necessary to continue examination of incoming travelers baggage at the present level. Based on current and foreseeable needs, the additional inspectional personnel would be assigned at the following established ports where the workload cannot be handled adequately by the existing staff and the danger of pest entry is most critical: Alabama: Mobile Florida: Miami and West Palm Beach New York: New York City, Including Texas: Brownsville, El Paso, Hidalgo, and Houston Puerto Rico: San Juan Virgin Islands: St. Thomas (NOTE. In addition to the locations listed in the justification statement inserted above, the additional inspection personnel under this increase would also be assigned to the port at Honolulu, Hawaii.) Dr. CLARKSON. In the folder we have some of the newer pamphlets that we are providing to travel agencies, to transportation companies, and the travelers themselves as they are coming to the United States. These informational guides inform the public that they should not bring with them prohibited or restricted agricultural goods and serve as a reminder that the exclusion of injurous insect pests and diseases from foreign countries is important to this country and, in fact, important to them as well. We have mentioned before that we are indebted to the individual who designed the attractive-looking bug referred to as "Miss Hitchhiker." It has aided a great deal in attracting attention to the pamphlets and encourages people to read and to abide by them. As you can see, these are printed in foreign languages for more appropriate use. Mr. Chairman, we have a good deal of information on the values of food and fiber crops that would be lost if these pests and diseases were to gain entry into this country. Mr. WHITTEN. We would be glad to have that in the record. All of this information is helpful to Congress. (Related information follows:) 30-087-64-pt. 2-12 Examples of foreign pests that have not gained entry into the continental United States and are a threat to U.S. agriculture Asia, Africa, Australia, and Pacific Also attacks sugarcane. May cause losses up to islands. Causes up to 20 percent loss of wheat. Defoliates conifers and deciduous trees, rivaling gypsy Destructive defoliator of conifier forests. In 1 year Defoliates pine forests. In heavy outbreaks, complete Defoliates oak forests, causing dieback and weaken- Especially destructive to new plantings. Destructive to pines in British Isles and continental Causes severe damage to pine forests by defoliation. Attacks 2- and 3-leaved pines. Especially injurious on Scotch pine in Europe. Sugarbeets. 208,944,000 Tobacco. Citrus. Rice. 1,351, 512,000 Sugar beet crown borer (Gnorimo- Tobacco stem borer (Gnorimoschema Irish potato weevil (Epicaerus cognatus). Andean potato weevils (Premnotrypes Potato coccinellid (Epilachna nipo- Smut (Thecaphora solani). Oriental fruit fly (Dacus dorsalis). Citrus leaf miner (Phyllocnistis citrella). Citrus blackfly (Aleurocanthus woglumi). False codling moth (Cryptophlebia leucotreta). Citrus psylla (Diaphorina citri).. Orange spiny whitefly (Aleurocanthus Mal secco disease (Deuterophoma Sweet orange scab (Elsinoe australis).. Citrus black spot (Guignardia citri- Australian scab (Sphaceloma fawcetti Citrus canker (Xanthonomas citri). Cancrosis "B" (Xanthonomas sp.)... Soybeans. 1,562, 720, 000 U.S.S.R. and central Europe. Mediterranean area. Particularly damaging to seedlings. At Kiev, Transmits leaf crinkle virus disease. Has caused 100 percent of crop may be infested in outbreak years. Africa, Australia, and southern Asia.. Up to 30-percent loss of plants has been recorded. Mexico, Central America, Hispaniola, Causes serious damage to trees unless controlled. Infestations up to 70 percent reported in Rhodesia. Causes defoliation, loss of production, and sometimes Destructive pest of citrus trees. Killed almost all lemons in some areas of Italy. Report that up to 1% of orange crop in Brazil rendered unfit for export. Serious damage to orchards and fruit. Serious annual losses. Destructive to groves. Eradicated in United States Comparable to citrus canker in destructiveness. Annual damage of 5 to 10 percent; local damage up to Damage up to 75 percent reported in India. Losses |