Pest Risk Analysis: The interface of invasive species biology, international trade policies, and federal/state perspectives

Background/Question/Methods

Working as a state agricultural entomologist has provided insight into the challenges, as well as the rewards, of incorporating science into regulatory policies. Such policies are crucial for the protection of agricultural and ecological resources from exotic invasive species. Invasive species cause billions of dollars of economic loss, are an increasing threat to native biodiversity, and can potentially permanently alter natural ecosystems. However, on a federal level, the agency responsible for preventing or reducing invasive species incursions, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, APHIS, is hampered by an inherent policy conflict. APHIS's express mandate is to "facilitate exports, imports, and interstate commerce in agricultural products" while simultaneously "safeguard American agriculture and natural resources from the risks associated with the entry, establishment, or spread of plant pests." This policy also leads to potential conflicts with state regulatory policies. For instance, a pest may be established elsewhere in the US but not in Oregon. Consequently, Oregon may wish to prevent or restrict the importation of commodities from infested states or countries, counter to APHIS's policies. The process of formal risk analysis is one means by which these policy disparities may be addressed and is therefore an entry point by which scientists can apply their expertise to influence regulatory policies.

Risk analysis is a formal methodology to gather and evaluate the best available information to estimate the agricultural, ecological, and human health consequences of the importation of a product or its means of transport. National and state interests can be weighed to assess these impacts on different scales. One of the greatest challenges is to balance these different concerns and priorities while grappling with the inevitable incomplete knowledge of a particular pest or pathway and potential problems.

Results/Conclusions

Risk analysis is an attempt to achieve an objective assessment of a regulatory problem. Of course, federal and private trade interests often influence policy decisions more than scientific analysis or state concerns, so it is not a "silver bullet" preventing disputes or conflicts. However, properly applied and considered, it can be an excellent means of inserting science into the economic and political spectrum.