As an integral part of the Department of Agriculture the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service monitors our Nation's agriculture to protect against agricultural pests and diseases.

Humans have a fraught relationship with beasts. They are our companions and our chattel our family members and our laborers our household pets and our household pests. We love them and cage them admire them and abuse them. And of course we cook and eat them.

God has cared for these trees saved them from drought disease avalanches and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools.