Travel restrictions on culinary souvenirs vary based on country of origin and type of foodstuff, and can change with a fair degree of frequency. In order to insulate ourselves from future heartbreak this summer travel season, we consulted an expert. Heather Curlett has the lofty task of managing "Outreach and Risk" communications for the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine Program. "It's a real wordy, governmental title," she laughs. As of late, it entails educating travelers on which produce can be brought back from popular inbound markets such as Mexico, China and Hawaii. While the latter is obviously a domestic destination, its environment differs considerably from the continental United States. Travelers heading back to the mainland are advised to pack snacks and edible souvenirs with caution.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), also known as the Agriculture Department, is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal government policy on farming, agriculture, forestry, and food. It aims to meet the needs of farmers and ranchers, promote agricultural trade and production, work to assure food safety, protect natural resources, foster rural communities and end hunger in the United States and internationally.
Allegations have been made that throughout the agency's history that its personnel have discriminated against African-American farmers, denying them loans and access to other programs well into the 1990s. The effect of this discrimination has been the reduction in the number of African-American farmers in the United States. In 1999, the USDA settled a class action lawsuit, the Pigford Case, alleging discrimination against African-American farmers in the late twentieth century.
The government's settlement of nearly $1 billion with more than 13,300 farmers was reportedly the largest civil rights claim to date. The 2008 Farm Bill provided for additional farmers to have their claims heard, as 70,000 had filed late in the original program. In 2010 the federal government made another $1.2 billion settlement in what is called Pigford II for outstanding claims.
