MINNEAPOLIS — More than 31 million people fly in and out of Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) International Airport each year, some arriving from international and exotic locations with plenty of baggage in tow.
It is the job of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agricultural specialists stationed at MSP to make sure items brought to Minnesota won't introduce livestock diseases or pests that could devastate the state's agricultural community or make people sick.
If you didn't know the CBP had ag specialists at the airport, make no mistake: They're on the job, and they are busy. In fiscal year 2023 ( which ran from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023) CBP inspected nearly 23,000 passenger inspections and intercepted 14,000 prohibited items.
Among the items confiscated include meat and animal carcasses, handicrafts made of invasive materials, grain, fruits potentially infested with invasive insects and giraffe feces destined to be made into jewelry.
Here's how it works: When passengers arrive from traveling overseas, they are asked if they have anything to declare, specifically pork, beef, or avian products, plants, plant materials, seeds for planting, and fruit. CBPAS are especially checking for meats and meat products from countries affected with diseases like Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, African Swine Fever, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, and Foot and Mouth Disease.
When discovered, either through passenger declarations or searches, the items are destroyed, treated or re-exported out of the country. During fiscal year 2023, more than $245,000 in passenger fines or penalties were collected from individuals importing undeclared or prohibited items.
"Our nation's food supply is constantly at risk to diseases not known to occur in the United States,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, director of field operations at the Chicago Field Office. “These interceptions highlight the vigilance and dedication our CBP Agriculture Specialists demonstrate, daily. They ensure that the United States is safe from harmful diseases that could affect our food supply.”
Anyone traveling abroad and planning to bring something back is advised to check out the CBP website for information on prohibited items.
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