Illustrations:

• Agricultural quarantine inspectors check millions of international passengers every year for harmful plant or animal pests and diseases.
• USDA grade standards, purchase specifications, and certifications facilitate trade, ultimately assuring consumers that their food is of uniform and consistent quality.

PROTECTING YOU, the Consumer

USDA's marketing and inspection programs touch your life in many ways:

For example, USDA inspectors make sure that the meat and poultry you buy are safe and wholesome. Since visual inspection cannot detect some of the most dangerous foodborne contaminants, USDA is developing quick, accurate ways to identify problems before they have a chance to get to you.

USDA food grades are the language of international agricultural commerce. Grain buyers in Russia, cotton traders in Belgium, produce dealers in New York City, meat wholesalers in Los Angeles, and shoppers in supermarkets everywhere...all rely on USDA grades to determine value. For example, a Grade A egg is a Grade A egg in Boston...or Houston...or Honolulu.

Protecting the health of animals and plants is another task for USDA. Inspectors at U.S. entry points keep out thousands of foreign diseases and pests, which could otherwise destroy America's agriculture and environment.

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