APHIS in Action

Last Modified: March 16, 2026

Every day, APHIS works to protect the health and value of America's agricultural and natural resources. These articles tell a story about how we are tackling some of the biggest issues facing U.S. agriculture and natural resources today.

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What happens when two tiny travelers accidentally cross an ocean? Thanks to the dedication of APHIS employees and international partners, this story has a happy ending.

side-by-side images of burrowing owls looking at camera

For over a century, a dedicated group of mounted patrol inspectors—known informally as Tick Riders—has patrolled the southern U.S. border. Their mission: protect U.S. cattle from the cattle fever tick, a parasite that causes severe blood loss, weakness, and can transmit deadly diseases like babesiosis and anaplasmosis.

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The Panama-United States Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Screwworm (COPEG), a joint program between APHIS International Services and Panama’s Ministry of Agriculture, is leveraging technical expertise and skilled diplomacy to tackle a potentially devastating agricultural pest—New World screwworm.

Every day, members of the public, industry, and other stakeholders call the APHIS Customer Service Center to have a problem solved or a question answered. And every day, four APHIS Customer Service Center employees do just that for the callers.

APHIS customer service rep sitting at their desk

Importers of fruits and vegetables can reap significant rewards from an inspection program called risk-based sampling at ports of entry.

The Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program recently rolled out a new, advanced approach to surveying for the beetle.

After five years of relentless effort, the northern giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) has been eradicated from Washington State and the United States.

close-up image of an northern giant hornet

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 can get dangerous for U.S agriculture and natural resources.