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Note: APHIS Declares Eradication of the Giant African Snail (Lissachatina fulica, formally Achatina fulica) and Removes All Quarantine Areas in Florida [Dec 22, 2021; PDF, 179 KB] -- Federal Order issued for the removal of the domestic quarantine which was under regulation since April 2012.

Since 2009, APHIS has funded an annual national survey of honey bee pests and diseases. The national survey documents which bee diseases, parasites, or honey bee pests are present or likely absent in the United States. The European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is known for its importance for honey production. In addition to honey production, A. mellifera is the most commonly used species as a pollinator in the U.S. Honey bees are managed and used to pollinate over 100 crops grown commercially in North America. After the large-scale, unexplained losses of managed U.S. honey bee colonies during the winter of 2006-2007, investigators identified a set of symptoms that were termed colony collapse disorder, or CCD.

When plant pests capable of harming our Nation’s forests, damaging U.S. crops, or disrupting trade become established in the U.S., USDA's APHIS works to control and, when possible, eliminate them from our country. APHIS created the webpage to make it easier for its customers to find critical information on pests and diseases of concern. With this tool, members of the public will have the information they need to report pests and diseases and together we can protect America’s agriculture and natural resources.

Under the authority of the Plant Protection Act Section 7721 (PPA 7721), APHIS provides up to $63 million annually to fund stakeholder projects submitted through the Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program (PPDMDPP). The projects we fund represent critical needs and safeguard American agriculture and natural resources against invasive plant pests and diseases.  

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) was charged with implementing Section 10007 initially part of the 2014 Farm Bill to prevent the introduction or spread of plant pests and diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture and the environment. Under the Farm Bill, APHIS provides funding to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure for pest detection and surveillance, identification, and threat mitigation, while working to safeguard the nursery production system. Every five years, Congress develops and passes a Farm Bill that outlines agriculture and food policy for the country.
See related resource: APHIS Programs Authorized by the Farm Bill

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) employees collaborate with many partners, cooperators, and stakeholders to protect plant health. To keep us on the leading edge, PPQ explores scientific frontiers, develops new plant protection methods, and makes critical advancements that safeguard our nation’s agricultural and natural resources while facilitating the safe global trade of agricultural products. These stories highlight some of their most successful and impactful programs and activities. 
See also: APHIS in Action for articles that tell stories how APHIS is tackling issues facing U.S agriculture and natural resources today

People ship and receive packages using express courier companies—like FedEx, UPS, DHL, and others—all the time. But when the package includes an agricultural item, things could get dangerous for U.S agriculture and natural resources.

“You should know what could be hitchhiking in or on those items—invasive plant and animal diseases and pests,” said Dr. Mark Davidson, Deputy Administrator of USDA’s Plant Protection and Quarantine. “Once these threats enter our country, they could harm our crops, livestock, and ecosystems. Left unchecked, they could devastate entire agricultural industries, eliminating jobs, threatening our food supply, and costing billions of dollars in losses and response costs.”

The PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories. The database includes names, checklists, automated tools, identification information, species abstracts, distributional data, crop information, plant symbols, plant growth data, plant materials information, plant links, references, and other plant information. The PLANTS database contains native and naturalized plants of the PLANTS Floristic Area (PFA), which consists of North America and all additional U.S. territories and protectorates.
Note: The Invasive/Noxious Weeds data in the previous PLANTS version were outdated and not migrated to the new PLANTS version (new site launched in Spring 2021). A new PLANTS Invasive/Noxious Weeds dataset has been developed and will be deployed to PLANTS in a later release.