Plant Inspection Stations
APHIS’ Plant Inspection Stations Brochure (PDF; 2.42 Mb)
Plant Inspection Station Strategic Plan, 2007-2012 (PDF; 437 Kb)
Federal regulations require that most imported plants and seeds enter the United States through certain ports of entry where the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) operates special facilities for the inspection and clearance of those items. These are known as Plant Inspection Stations and are operated by the USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program. Currently, PPQ has 17 such Plant Inspection Stations in the United States located at or near major international airports and seaports.
At the Plant Inspection Stations, PPQ Plant Health Safeguarding Specialists inspect imported plants and seeds to insure that they are free from plants pests and diseases that are not known to occur in the United States and which could be damaging to either U.S. agriculture or natural resources. These specialists also ensure that the plants and seeds comply with Federal import regulations and permitting requirements. When regulated pests or diseases are detected, PPQ may require that the planting material be treated, exported or destroyed.
At the Plant Inspection Stations, PPQ also enforces the rules and regulations that apply to the import, export and re-export of plant species protected by the Endangered Species Act and the Convention on International Traded in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Many of the Plant Inspection Stations also issue phytosanitary certificates for the export of plants, seeds, and other propagative materials.
One of the 17 plant inspection stations is the National Plant Germplasm Inspection Station (NPGIS) which is located in Beltsville, Maryland. The NPGIS is uniquely designed for the inspection of small amounts of plant germplasm imported or exported for plant breeding and research purposes. Much of the plant germplasm imported through the NPGIS is highly restricted and is authorized entry into the United States under what are known as "Departmental Permits".
List of Plant Inspection Station Addresses and Contact Information |
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ARIZONA
USDA, APHIS, PPQ
Plant Inspection Station
9 North Grand Avenue, Room 120
Nogales, AZ 85621
Phone (520) 287-6463 - Fax (520) 397-0138
CALIFORNIA
USDA, APHIS, PPQ
Plant Inspection Station
11840 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Hawthorne, CA 90250
Phone (310) 725-1910 - Fax (310) 725-1925
USDA, APHIS, PPQ
Plant Inspection Station
389 Oyster Point Blvd., Suite 2
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Phone (650) 876-9093 - Fax (650) 876-9008
USDA, APHIS, PPQ
Plant Inspection Station
9777 Via de la Amistad, Room 140
San Diego, CA 92154
Phone (619) 661-3316 - Fax (619) 661-3047
FLORIDA
USDA, APHIS, PPQ
Plant Inspection Station
3500 NW 62nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33122
Phone (305) 526-3900 - Fax (305) 871-4205
USDA, APHIS, PPQ
Plant Inspection Station
9317 Tradeport Drive
Orlando, FL 32827
Phone (407) 648-6856 - Fax (407) 648-6859
Last Modified: August 12, 2008