Future Trends 
Growth in international travel and 
trade shows no sign of slowing 
down. Each year, PPQ officers 
inspect an estimated 500 million 
plants that are mailed, carried, or 
shipped into this country by 
brokers, travelers, and nursery 
owners. Some of these plants 
carry hitchhiking pests and 
diseases that are not native to the 
United States and could cause 
great harm to the Nation’s agricul- 
ture and natural resources. The 
Mediterranean fruit fly (and a host 
of other fruit flies), potato wart 
disease, giant African snail, Asian 
gypsy moth, and khapra beetle are 
just a few of the harmful pests and 
diseases accidentally introduced 
into and eradicated from this 
country in the past. PPQ must 
continue be an organization that— 
using the best information science 
and technology can provide— 
adapts quickly to a volatile and 
changing global environment. 
Invasive species introductions 
have risen markedly during the 
last century as modes of human 
transportation became more 
efficient and world travel prolifer- 
ated. An invasive species is 
defined as an alien species whose 
introduction causes or is likely to 
Cause economic or environmental 
harm or harm to human health. 
Invasive plants, animals, and 
aquatic organisms often reduce 
the economic productivity and 
ecological integrity of U.S. 
agriculture and natural resources. 
Increased introductions of invasive 
species not only have adversely 
affected agricultural productivity 
but also have damaged native fish 
and wildlife habitats, renewable 
resources, and human health. 
A recent Executive Order focuses 
on (1) enhancing and coordinating 
Federal activities that prevent the 
introduction of invasive species 
and provide for their control and 
(2) minimizing the economic, 
ecological, and human health 
impacts that invasive species 
cause. The Executive Order also 
established a National Invasive 
Species Council, which is co- 
chaired by the Secretaries of the 
Growth in international travel and trade 
shows no sign of slowing down. 
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