Tuesday-Wednesday, July 17-18, 2012. at the USDA APHIS, 4700 Riverdale Road, Riverdale, MD 20737

Please join the USDA, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and DHS, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the 2012 Agriculture Stakeholder Conference: Pests, Pathways, and Partnerships.

The purpose of this two day conference is to discuss the future of Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) initiatives and to garner input on how CBP and APHIS can better serve stakeholder needs.  This conference will bring together diverse stakeholder groups representing the animal product, plant product, and shipping industries as well federal and state regulatory officials to engage in an open dialogue centered on pest exclusion efforts and trade facilitation. 

Invited speakers include:

• ¥ Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Rebecca Blue *
• ¥ Assistant Secretary for the Private Sector, Douglas A. Smith
• ¥ APHIS Administrator, Gregory L. Parham *
• ¥ Acting CBP Commissioner, David V. Aguilar
• ¥ PPQ Deputy Administrator, Rebecca A. Bech,* and
• ¥ Acting CBP Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations, Kevin K. McAleenan *

* Confirmed

Registration Information: Registration will be open from April 26 to June 15.  Space is limited so early registration is recommended.  Registration will automatically close once maximum capacity is reached. There will be no onsite registration.  A mandatory registration fee of $40 USD per person must be paid in cash the morning of July 17 at check in.  Click here to Register

A Live Web Cast will be offered on the day of the conference for those unable to attend (see below for more details).

Lunch:Lunch, including morning and afternoon break service, will be included as part of the registration fee.  Dietary restrictions should be clearly indicated on the registration form.

Hotel Information:Rooms have been reserved at the Holiday Inn in Greenbelt, MD under the name “USDA-PPQ Stakeholder Meeting”.  Reservations can be made directly by calling 301-982-7000.   Please make your reservations by June 18, 2012 to receive the group rate of $129 a night which includes complimentary breakfast buffet.  The hotel will provide shuttle service to and from the USDA APHIS building in the morning and evening each day.  Parking at the hotel is free.

The Baltimore/Washington International Airport is approximately 30 miles from the Holiday Inn.  Taxi service is available at the airport or you can make a reservation with the Super Shuttle at 1-800-258-3826 or by accessing their website.

Facility Information:The APHIS facility in Riverdale is a secure government facility.  Conference participants will be required to register with security using a valid government ID (driver’s license). All visitors must be escorted by APHIS staff while in the building. 

Travel and Parking:The APHIS headquarters building at 4700 River Road is ½ mile from the College Park Metro.  A free shuttle from the metro operates between 6:00-8:45 a.m. and 3:00-6:30 p.m. Parking is available at the building for a nonrefundable fee of $5 per day.  View information on the shuttle route and schedule.

Live Web Cast: We will be offering a Live Webcast for those unable to attend in person.  More details will be made available as we approach the conference dates.   

For more information regarding registration please contact Melonie Torillo at (301) 851-2269 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .