Baltimore CBP Hops on Bamboo Scarecrow Threat
October 27, 2009
A shipment of bunny scarecrows from Hong Kong was destroyed on October 20, by its importer after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) determined that the bamboo stakes posed a threat to American agriculture.
“Our concern is that the disease and insect pests hitchhiking inside the bamboo could pose a significant threat to our nation’s agriculture industry and consequently to our nation’s economy,” said Augustine Moore, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) assistant port director for the Port of Baltimore. “CBP agriculture specialists take their mission very serious and were pretty quick to hop on this potential threat.”
While inspecting a container of baskets and handicrafts on September 29, CBP agriculture specialists discovered one box of sample bunny scarecrows affixed to bamboo stakes. CBP quarantined the shipment and forwarded photographs of the scarecrow to the USDA
Bamboo is regulated from all countries to prevent the entry of bamboo smut (Ustilago shirani) and other exotic pathogens. According to the USDA, bamboo smut is one of the most harmful diseases of bamboo. The pathogen attacks and kills young canes. Additionally, bamboo stakes are a known pest risk as a host for wood borers and other insect pests.
Last Friday, the USDA advised CBP that the samples were indeed a threat and needed to be fumigated, re-exported or destroyed.
CBP then issued an Emergency Action Notification to the importer identifying the remediation choices; the importer elected to destroy the scarecrow shipment.
This interdiction was part of CBP’s ongoing agriculture Operation Basket Case, which targets shipments of baskets and handicrafts from China made with tree bark. Wood bark is a primary vehicle for wood-boring insects. The majority of tree bark baskets and handicrafts arrived from China and other Pacific Rim nations.
