Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) – Directory

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is a large multi-faceted agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), working to protect public health and natural resources against invasive pests and pathogens.

• Programs responsibilities include:
• Animal product import/export monitoring
• Disease detection and surveillance
• Agriculture terrorism
• Genetically engineered crop regulation
• Regulating genetically engineered organisms
• Animal disease information systems and traceability
• Pest and disease control and quarantine for plant protection

These missions require extensive cooperation with State governments and coordination between public health and agriculture sectors for surveillance, detection and control.

APHIS is divided into the following primary divisions:

• Animal Care
• Biotechnology Regulatory Services
• International Services and Trade Support Team
• Plant Protection and Quarantine 
• Veterinary Services
• Wildlife Services

APHIS additionally has the following support units:

• Legislative and Public Affairs
• Marketing and Regulatory Programs Business Services
• Native American Working Group
• Policy and Program Development

APHIS has two offices that support government-wide initiatives: Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response which coordinates emergency management and homeland security initiatives; and the Office of Civil Rights, Diversity, and Inclusion (OCDI).

While the majority of activities are focused on the U.S., APHIS also has staff in international U.S. diplomatic missions carrying out disease and pest eradication and control initiatives.