Sens. Daniel Akaka and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., are co-sponsoring a bill to improve agricultural inspections at ports. 

The legislation, called the Safeguarding American Agriculture Act of 2011, would establish an Office of Agriculture Inspection with specialized training criteria for staffers. It would also encourage interagency collaboration between federal agriculture specialists and employees in the Department of Homeland Security. 

“Invasive species can inflict significant irreversible harm on the environment and to businesses, taxpayers, and local governments,” Akaka said in a statement issued by his office. “Focusing on prevention, specifically improving agricultural inspections conducted at our ports of entry, is a highly cost-effective investment.”