Get Your Korean Peppers!

Attention, pepper enthusiasts: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has given the thumbs-up to South Korean growers to export their peppers to the United States. But there are several catches, APHIS says: "The peppers must be grown in the Republic of Korea in approved insect-proof, pest-free greenhouses and packed in pest exclusionary packinghouses. In order to safeguard against pest infestation during their movement, the peppers must be protected by an insect-proof mesh screen or plastic tarpaulin and packed in insect-proof containers."

Will they be able to effectively implement these rules? The Government Accountability Office reports that APHIS and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which share responsibility for safeguarding agricultural imports, "face management and coordination problems that increase the vulnerability of U.S. agriculture to foreign pests and disease."