National Tour to Highlight Non-native, Invasive Pests and Diseases that
Threaten American Agriculture and Natural Resources
                                            Release No. 0085.00
                                                               
                                    Susan McAvoy (202) 720-4623
                                          susan.mcavoy@usda.gov
                                
                                
GLICKMAN TO BATTLE ALIEN INVADERS
National Tour to Highlight Non-native, Invasive Pests and Diseases that
Threaten American Agriculture and Natural Resources

     WASHINGTON, March 17, 2000 -- With American cities, farms, and forests
under attack by voracious, non-native bugs, plants and diseases, Agriculture
Secretary Dan Glickman will visit four U.S. hot spots, where alien invaders,
threatening American agriculture, attempt to enter the United States.  

     "Ecosystems are being altered and destroyed, crops damaged, forests
denuded and animals and even people are in danger of contracting fatal
diseases," said Glickman.  "In a global economy, we must fight a global war
against invasive pests and diseases.  Our current system has not kept pace
with the unprecedented growth in trade and travel.  This tour will highlight
the intensified stakes in our ongoing fight to protect America's agriculture
and natural resources from pests and diseases."  

     Dramatic increases in passenger travel and the movement of goods around
the world has raised the stakes exponentially in the battle against non-
native, invasive species.  The economic impact of devastated trees and crops
and intensive research and regulatory efforts reaches into the hundreds of
billions of dollars. 

     The Asian long-horned beetle has already destroyed 5,600 trees in New
York and Chicago at a cost of over $20 million, The West Nile virus has killed
7 people and 9 horses.  The cost of plum pox virus in Pennsylvania orchards is
about $5 million.  The cost of citrus canker in Florida already exceeds $70
million.  And, invading fruit flies now threaten southern California's $50
million fruit and nut production.  

     Glickman's national tour, which will include stops in New York, Miami,
San Diego, and Long Beach, will highlight the escalating stakes in the battle
to keep unwanted pests and diseases from slipping across our borders and
wreaking additional environmental and agricultural havoc.

     On Tuesday, March 21, the Secretary will visit New York City, ground
zero for the Asian long-horned beetle and West Nile virus outbreaks.  The
Secretary will tour the devastation caused by the indestructible beetle in
Rupert Park, join in a tree planting, and receive a thorough briefing on the
re-emergence of West Nile virus.  In the afternoon, USDA officials will meet
with travel reporters and editors to discuss steps the traveling public can
take to prevent the unintended importation of invasive plants, animals, and
diseases.  
                                
     On Wednesday, March 22, Secretary Glickman will visit Miami, where
explosive growth in passenger and cargo movement underscores the growing
potential for invasive outbreaks.  Florida's $8 billion citrus industry has
already been compromised by an outbreak of citrus canker.  First, the
Secretary will view the destruction in an infested lime grove.  Next, he will
visit Miami airport's large animal quarantine facility, the processing
facility for animals moving into and out of the U.S.  Finally, he joins USDA
inspectors and the Beagle Brigade to oversee baggage and passenger inspection
efforts.  

     On Thursday, March 23, the Secretary visits the U.S.-Mexican border,
just south of San Diego, to observe inspections of incoming freight designed
to prevent the entry of pests and diseases.  Then, he will proceed to
Fallbrook, California to examine on-going Medfly eradication efforts,
including a sterile-fly air drop, to protect California's fruit and nut
industry.

     Finally, on Friday, March 24, Secretary Glickman tours the nation's
busiest cargo container facility in Long Beach, California to review unloading
and inspection activities and discuss new technologies under development to
improve inspection efforts and facilitate international trade.

     USDA leads the federal government's frontline efforts to prevent
invasive pests and diseases from damaging American agriculture and natural
resources.  USDA's 1300 inspectors and 50 beagles are on the job 24 hours a
day, seven days a week, inspecting trucks, trains, boats, planes, and people
at our borders and ports.  In large measure, the system has been successful. 
Last year, there were about 2 million interceptions and nearly 53,000 plant
pests and diseases that could threaten America's trees, farms and fields were
denied entry into the United States.  

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