Edinburg, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection Brownsville-Progreso Pest Risk Assessment Committee and the CBP Eagle Pass Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team were recognized today by the United States Department of Agriculture for their role in protecting American agriculture.

	click for hi-res CBP agriculture specialists and members of the A-TCET from Brownsville.

The CBP Brownsville-Progreso Pest Risk Assessment Committee received the USDA Safeguarding Award for educating the rail transport industry on the potential threat of harmful insects and diseases introduced to U.S. agriculture via the rail pathway. Due to the outreach and extensive refresher training, rail companies are now more aware of this potential threat to U.S. agriculture and are have shown their commitment to make the necessary changes to minimize the problem.

The CBP Eagle Pass Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team was presented with the USDA Promising Practices Award. By adding an agriculture specialist to this special enforcement team, more focused was immediately place on potential agricultural threats. Because of this team’s success, the practice of including an agriculture specialist has become a model in the formation of special enforcement teams.

	click for hi-res A-TCET group from Eagle Pass.

“Congratulations to each team member for his or her contribution in protecting American agriculture,” said Director of Field Operations Leticia Moran for the Laredo Field Office. “I am extremely proud of your work.

Each year, CBP agriculture specialist intercept tens of thousands of actionable pests—those identified through scientific risk assessment and study as being dangerous to the health and safety of U.S. agricultural resources. On a typical day in fiscal year 2008, CBP agriculture specialists made 4,125 seizures of prohibited meat, plant materials or animal products, including 435 agricultural pests at ports of entry.