Mission 
Protecting American agriculture 
and environmental resources is 
the basic charge of the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture’s 
(USDA) Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS). 
APHIS provides leadership in 
protecting and ensuring the health 
and care of animals and plants. 
We improve agricultural productiv- 
ity, ensure competitiveness, and 
contribute to the national economy 
and the public health. 
The Plant Protection and Quaran- 
tine (PPQ) program in APHIS 
touches the lives of all Americans 
by ensuring the availability of 
domestic and imported foods in 
the marketplace, facilitating 
agricultural exports, and contribu- 
ting to the health of U.S. public 
and private lands. 
PPQ provides leadership in protecting and ensuring 
the health and care of America’s agricultural 
resources. 
