USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Identifiers serve a vital role in safeguarding U.S. agriculture and natural resources against the entry, establishment, and spread of economically and environmentally significant pests. As experts in plant pest taxonomy and biology, Identifiers support the PPQ mission by identifying plant pests across the PPQ safeguarding continuum which includes interceptions at U.S. ports of entry and domestic finds across the nation.
At air, sea, and land ports of entry, Area Identifiers identify insects found in imported shipments (some of which may constitute a high threat to the health of our country’s farms, ranches, plant nurseries, forests, and natural resources) and determine if and what regulatory actions are needed to reduce or eliminate potential threats. Domestic Identifiers work with PPQ work units and state cooperators who survey the U.S. landscape for new pests. They identify samples collected from domestic pest surveillance programs with the goal of finding and responding to emerging pests as soon as possible, before they can cause large-scale damage. Identifiers stand vigilant against destructive foreign plant pests through their efficient identifications and early interventions. A career with USDA APHIS PPQ as an Identifier provides a rewarding path for entomologists who are passionate about insect identification and safeguarding the health of our country’s agriculture and natural resources.
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