USDA APHIS Investigative and Enforcement Services (IES)

Investigative and Enforcement Services’ (IES) staff of roughly 140 employees throughout the country provides investigative, enforcement, and regulatory support services to four APHIS programs—Animal Care (AC), Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), and Veterinary Services (VS).   IES also provides these services for agricultural quarantine inspection (AQI) activities carried out by the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  The Agency enforces the following laws, each of which outlines requirements for compliance and general penalty provisions:

• Plant Protection Act (administered by PPQ, BRS; port-related AQI-related activities carried out by CBP)
• Animal Health Protection Act (administered by VS; AQI-related activities carried out by CBP)
• Virus Serum Toxin Act (administered by VS)
• Commercial Transportation of Equines to Slaughter Act (administered by VS)
• Animal Welfare Act (administered by AC)
• Horse Protection Act (administered by AC)
• Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act (administered by VS) 
• Honey Bee Act(administered by PPQ and VS)
• Federal Seed Act  (administered by PPQ and VS)
• Lacey Act

IES’ work is divided between two groups.  Field investigators conduct investigations and produce reports of investigation (ROIs), and headquarters enforcement staff members review completed ROIs for evidentiary sufficiency.  When the information and evidence gathered during an investigation supports a finding of a violation, APHIS may pursue enforcement action against that person or entity.

• Investigative Process
• Enforcement Process

Enforcement Summaries:

• APHIS Overall
• Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI)
• Animal Care (AWA and HPA)
  • USDA HPA Federal Disqualification and Civil Penalty List
  • View AWA and HPA Enforcement Actions
• Biotechnology Regulatory Services
• Plant Protection and Quarantine
• Veterinary Services

 Source APHIS