Farm Compliance

Sacramento, California - In an unprecedented move to increase recruitment opportunities, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will have its own 100 square foot booth at the California State Fair in Sacramento from August 15 through September 1, 2008, officials announced today.

“Attendance at California State Fairs averages approximately one million visitors from all over California, thus making this a tremendous opportunity to recruit much needed candidates for agriculture specialist positions,” said Rich Vigna, director of field operations at the CBP San Francisco Field Office. “It is also a great way to increase public awareness of the CBP agriculture mission and the public’s important role in helping to keep harmful pests out of the country.”

CBP agriculture specialists, agriculture canine specialists and operation specialists from the San Francisco field office will be onsite to answer questions.

The CBP agriculture specialist mission plays a critical role in the Department of Homeland Security. Agriculture specialists perform their mission at more than 300 ports of entry located at airports, seaports and land borders throughout the United States and along the Canadian and Mexican borders. They use their scientific education and expertise to protect American farms and the food supply by preventing the introduction of harmful pests, plant and animal diseases and biological threats into the United States. With a degree in botany, entomology, biology or plant pathology, agriculture specialists are able to recognize questionable and dangerous agricultural commodities, flag them for inspection and oversee their testing or destruction.