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Abstract
Millions of pounds of fresh fruits, vegetables, cut
flowers, herbs, and other agricultural and food products
enter the United States via commercial shipments
from other countries every year. Although
these items appear harmless, there could be hidden
threats in that baggage and in those truckloads,
trainloads, and containers of fresh and processed
food items that could seriously threaten U.S. agriculture,
its natural resources, and its economy (U.S.
Customs and Border Protection 2007).
Food imports play a major role in the success
and competitiveness of various agribusiness firms
in the United States. For example, food imports
generate income, employment, output, and taxes
and provide consumers with lower-priced products
than those produced or purchased in the domestic
markets. Food imports also provide consumers with
a larger variety of products that normally would not
be available to them, or that would be available in
limited quantities and at higher than normal prices.
Consequently, without food imports many U.S.
food processing and manufacturing firms would
be forced to reduce plant capacity, re-locate food
processing and manufacturing facilities, or close
plants altogether (Rosson 2000). Thus it is important
that food imports that do not comply with U.S. standards
be targeted, detected, and intercepted, thereby
preventing the entry of those potential threats before
they have the chance to do any harm to the U.S food
system and its infrastructure.