Your Beautiful New England Flowers Must Go Through Customs Because of Bouquets with Bugs
Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions or personal experiences.
Who doesn't love getting flowers any time of the year? Randomly is always the best, but of course, we know birthdays, anniversaries, congratulations, and of course Valentine's Day are the most popular. Even with funerals, flowers bring beauty and peace to celebrate life lost.
However, before your favorite flower shop sees those flowers, the majority of them must clear customs at Boston Logan International Airport or smaller New England Airports that have U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
After they pass inspection is when they end up in our flower shops. With 80% of our flowers imported from overseas, according to PetalRepublic.com, this entire process is an enormous necessity.
As a matter of fact, the European Gypsy Moth, according to the New Hampshire Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, is just one pest that U.S. Customs and Border Protection makes sure isn't hiding among our roses. This is because bugs and pests brought into this country could severely harm our ecosystem.
Petal Republic says that the United States is the biggest consumer of overseas flowers at $1.83 billion dollars annually. This keeps our Agriculture Specialists with Customs and Border Protection very busy in the name of love and friendship, because bugs and pests brought into this country could severely harm our ecosystem.
Chief Agriculture Specialist for U.S Customs & Border Protection at Logan Airport, Baljeet Kauz, told WBZ that their process to inspect those flowers is to gently shake them and then examine them for disease.
We do come across insects that are not established here, and that can affect our agricultural products inversely.
Kauz says that happens about once a month.
Oh, and in case you're wondering where the majority of our beautiful bouquets come from it's The Netherlands, which account for more than 50% followed by Colombia and Ecuador, Petal Republic says. Within the country, 800 Florals says it's California followed by Florida.