{"id":33,"date":"2022-02-02T20:39:37","date_gmt":"2022-02-02T20:39:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/academictraveler\/?p=33"},"modified":"2022-02-08T18:53:20","modified_gmt":"2022-02-08T18:53:20","slug":"dont-pack-a-pest-for-academic-travelers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/academictraveler\/2022\/02\/02\/dont-pack-a-pest-for-academic-travelers\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Pack a Pest for Academic Travelers: Teaching Travelers to Pack Safe, Pack Smart, and Pack Aware"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Imagine you studied abroad in Taiwan, and you LOVED the pork floss you ate there. You don\u2019t remember seeing anything similar sold in stores back home in the U.S., so you buy some to take with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you get the customs declaration, you don\u2019t declare it because you think that a cooked and processed product should be no problem. Plus, you figure they won\u2019t find it anyway, and it would be faster not to declare. Then, when customs officers ask you at the passport passenger clearance line if you have any agricultural items to declare, you don\u2019t say anything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The customs officer finds it anyway and fines you the maximum penalty of $1,000.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless study abroad students, international students, and faculty leaders have experienced this scenario at the airport. Knowing what foods, agricultural items, and natural products you can and can\u2019t bring back to the U.S. from abroad are confusing, and going through customs can be very stressful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s where the Don’t Pack a Pest for Academic Travelers<\/a> program comes in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are a university-based education program working with international education professionals, faculty, and students across the country to educate them about the risks of bringing in prohibited items. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our campaign helps empower travelers like you to go through customs with confidence and protect our nation\u2019s precious natural resources.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is everything you need to know about our program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Pack a Pest forAcademic Travelers Program<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\"Red<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How did our program start?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The California (CFDA) and Florida (FDFA) Department of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) founded our parent organization, Don\u2019t Pack a Pest<\/a>, in the 1990s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their mission is to educate travelers about the risks of carrying prohibited food, plants, and other agricultural products that could harbor pests, diseases, or become invasive through the items travelers carry in their luggage and encourage all passengers to declare these items for U.S. Customs.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Oregon State University Sea Grant<\/a> expanded this initiative to integrate a collaborative research-based approach that focuses on academic travelers<\/em>. The Academic Traveler program collaborates with study abroad and international offices, international agriculture offices, and traveling faculty and scholars to further the Don\u2019t Pack a Pest mission.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By developing relevant education and outreach informed through research with academic travelers and international and study abroad institutions, we continue to tailor information and outreach relevant to the changing needs of our academic institutional partners and the programs students, international scholars, and faculty they serve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Preventing Pests, Diseases and Invasive Species Is Important to Our Food Supplies and Biosecurity <\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\"Photo<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Each year, invasive species are responsible<\/a> for $120 billion in damages and control costs in the U.S. alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the United States, giant hogweed seeds were the most confiscated item at West Coast ports of entry from 2005 to 2015. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People commonly use these seeds for cooking, but when planted, they can be very harmful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plant\u2019s sap has toxic chemicals that can cause severe burns. It has invaded natural lands on the West Coast and has become a danger to those who encounter it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, Swine Fever started devastating China\u2019s pig population in 2019 and continues to spread worldwide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no vaccine available, and farmers had to cull 200 million pigs. As a result, pork prices increased 70%, putting an enormous strain on the country\u2019s resources. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a bleak example of what could happen in the U.S. if we don\u2019t prevent invasive species from entering. This disease entered China\u2019s ports of entry through clothing, soil, water, and pork products, such as the pork floss mentioned above. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seemingly small things that people bring through entry ports can significantly impact the environment, agriculture, and economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even travelers bringing in a prohibited item can jeopardize our resources and the livelihood of millions of people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working with Schools to Prevent \u201cPacking a Pest\u201d <\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\"Group<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

According to Open Doors<\/a>, 1,095,299 international students studied in the U.S., and 341,751 U.S. students studied abroad during the 2018-2019 school year.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These travelers are a significant source of mobility moving in and out of the U.S. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our focus group research shows that many of these students have packed prohibited items. These items include dry noodle packets, fruit and vegetables, herbs and medicine, plant products, and animal products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Don\u2019t Pack a Pest for Academic Travelers has worked with college and university partners to: <\/p>\n\n\n\n