The roles and 
responsibilities 
of APHIS have 
multiplied in 
recent years along 
with the expansion 
of trade. 
Because a large volume of commodities is 
being smuggled into California and Florida, 
special State-Federal agricultural units have 
been established in these States. PPQ teamed 
with the Florida Department of Agriculture 
and Consumer Services to form the Florida 
Interdiction and Smuggling Team (FIST) 
and with the California Department of Food 
and Agriculture to form Closing the Los 
Angeles Area Marketplace Pathway (CLAMP). 
Both FIST and CLAMP have been successful 
in reducing the amount of agricultural goods 
smuggled into major international ports 
located in California and Florida. In 1999, 
CLAMP officers seized 407 agricultural 
imports smuggled into the United States. 
Officers examined all of the seized goods; 30 
were found to be infested with foreign pests. 
Catching smuggled goods before they make 
their way into U.S. commerce is just one 
more way APHIS protects U.S. agriculture 
from the threat of foreign pests and diseases. 
6 Trade Negotiations and Compliance 
The roles and responsibilities of APHIS have 
multiplied in recent years along with the 
expansion of trade. While APHIS seeks to 
increase trade opportunities for U.S. produc- 
ers and give more food choices to U.S. con- 
sumers, the threat of foreign pests and 
diseases cannot be overlooked. 
Communication with foreign nations makes 
it easier to protect and promote American 
agriculture. Face-to-face multilateral meet- 
ings have become a vital part of trade negoti- 
ations. APHIS sends representatives to 
meetings all over the world to make sure 
U.S. interests are protected and sanitary and 
phytosanitary standards based on science are 
emphasized. It is these multilateral meetings 
that will set the stage for future trade rela- 
tions and policies. 
For more information about APHIS 
programs, visit the APHIS homepage at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov 
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