In the most recent accounting, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 
1959, these were some of the inspection totals in round numbers: pieces 
of passengers’ baggage--21 million; automobiles--21 million; airplanes -- 
_ 133,000; vessels--60,000; animals--1,150,000; pounds of animal by- 
products, such as wool and hides--a billion; cargo importations of plant 
material--70,000. 
From all sources, unauthorized plant material was intercepted 
320,000 times--more than half of this was in travelers’ baggage; more 
than 100,000 pounds of restricted or prohibited meat were seized and 
disposed of; 24,000 animals and birds were refused entry because of 
harboring pests or diseases. 
A few of the more important plant pests intercepted during the year 
were these: the khapra beetle halted 44 times; the Mediterranean fruit 
fly, 99 times; the golden nematode, 75 times; the Mexican fruit fly, 130 
times; citrus canker, 82 times; the Mediterranean land snail 87 times. 
KNOWING HOW TO PROCEED, WHOM TO CONTACT 
Understanding how to proceed, and whom to contact for a permit or 
when questions arise, is the practical basis for effective cooperation. 
Following is general information on procedure in different situations. 
A little background is added--covering questions commonly asked about 
policy and procedure. 
When Traveling 
It is a responsibility of all travelers entering the United States to 
make known at customs clearance any plant or animal materials brought 
to this country in their belongings. 
Travelers are informed by bulletin boards, leaflets, sometimes by 
lectures, so that they may know their responsibilities about fruit, flowers, 
uncooked meat, and other plant and animal items. Certain fruits, for 
example, that may be brought in safely from one country are prohibited 
when brought from another country. 
To save travelers the inconvenience of presenting baggage twice, the 
USDA and the U.S. Customs Service cooperate in joint customs and 
agricultural inspection. 
Commuters who cross the Canadian or Mexican border have the 
same responsibilities as other travelers to comply with agricultural in- 
spection. Lunches are the most common type of ‘‘baggage’’ of thousands 
of workers and school children. Agricultural pest conditions in Canada 
are so similar to those in the United States that fewer restrictions on 
bringing in plant and animal items from Canada are imposed than are 
needed at our southern border. 
Military personnel have the same responsibilities as civilians to 
comply with the laws and regulations for keeping out foreign agricultural 
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