Wash Your Boots!

[Ryan]

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2019-eliminating-african-swine-fever/

Every now and again someone grumbles how they had their boots washed by Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialists, or mockingly joke how they managed to evade such cleaning. Somehow the whole thing is trivial and as some have mentioned, what does this have to do with terrorism. Customs and Border Protection has many roles and one of them is enforcing USDA regulations for the protection of US agriculture. This article highlights just one disease that can come in on infected soil on your boots. As a graph points out in 46% of cases the virus was carried on vehicles and workers without disinfection. And " Infected blood, or fluids from urine, saliva or feces can be carried on dirt on truck tires and SHOES."

Again, this is just one disease. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is also in several African countries and can also be transported in the same manner.

Feel free to think it's a joke of a job for CBP, but realize this disease isn't a joke to anyone with hogs like @gizmo, never mind the multi-billion dollar swine industry in the United States. And FMD is not a joke to anyone with goats, cattle, sheep, and swine like @phillip Glass and his sheep.

As hunters we have a higher than normal chance of coming into contact with various animal body fluids during our hunt. You will wash, and your clothes get washed but your footwear is often not unless you do it. So, wash your boots before you leave and don't complain if that CBP Agriculture Specialist wants to disinfect your shoes when you hit US soil again. Honestly, they're just trying to keep your BLT as cheap and available as possible.

 

[Ridgewalker]

I never have, nor will I ever complain about protecting our agricultural products! Having had a ranch and having put in all the work to try to make it pay, only to lose it. It is a 24hr a day, 365 days a year, rain, snow, sleet, tornado, flood kind of a job.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Odd that Atlanta sprays shoes but not Dulles.

 

[meigsbucks]

I had mine sprayed at Atlanta on both my trips. I surmised what it was for and didn’t even question it.

 

[Hunter4752001]

In my opinion, quarantine issues are far more serious than either drugs or terrorism. Consider what state any of our respective countries would be in if our agricultural industries collapsed. As people who travel to, and tramp around, rural areas in exotic locations, we have a particular responsibility to do what it takes.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

At Hog confinement buildings they have boots in the building for the workers to wear,that are not allowed outside the building, under any circumstances. That’s one of the few precautions they take to eliminate the spread of such diseases.

 

[Opposite Pole]

Quarantine is very important and serious globally. Look at the issues in OZ like Panama disease or various imported flora and fauna. In Europe things like African Swine Flu or Phylloxera. These things ruin ecosystems and economy. Australia has even got quarantine between states to avoid spread of crap like fruit flies. Curious thing about ozzie quarantine, I’ve flown a number of times into Hobart from Sydney carrying my sailing gear and every time quarantine dogs got interested in my bags. As soon as I’d open them the officer would take one look and say something like “oh you’re a yachtie, dogs get attracted to salt in your gear.” Salt’s ok to carry though ;-)

 

[Philip Glass]

I appreciate this post. I know FMD is a little overdone and hyped by our government but it and other foreign animal diseases are bad news for our ag industry.
One of my vets will not even bring his boots back after an international trip where he has been in livestock pens. He plans to leave them there. We actually, if we have true concerns about FMD, can’t be around livestock for 2 days after we get home because it is that serious.
I clean my boots before I leave and then Customs of course sanitizes them.getting the mud and dirt off at least is a good idea.
Thanks again for the awareness this post brings.
Regards,
Philip

 

[Newboomer]

Now that is very interesting. I've been to RSA Eastern Cape on safari for the last three years and have not been checked. I flew into JFK twice and Dulles once. However, I don't wear my hunting boots when I fly. After reading this, I may wash them when I get home after hunting.

 

[Countrylife]

Bringing in a disease of any kind is serious. I raise trees, my neighbor raises cows so one of us will be affected directly if something gets in. My Dad was a Veterinarian and told me of the issues with disease and I've seen first hand what happens in Florida if something gets by the USDA. I wash my boots before I leave RSA and make sure the Customs folks know where I've been when I get back. Last time I came back, I got special treatment. They had someone collect my bags and take them to ICE and I was thru and out the door much quicker than I ever expected.

 

[CAustin]

I appreciate this post. I know FMD is a little overdone and hyped by our government but it and other foreign animal diseases are bad news for our ag industry.
One of my vets will not even bring his boots back after an international trip where he has been in livestock pens. He plans to leave them there. We actually, if we have true concerns about FMD, can’t be around livestock for 2 days after we get home because it is that serious.
I clean my boots before I leave and then Customs of course sanitizes them.getting the mud and dirt off at least is a good idea.
Thanks again for the awareness this post brings.
Regards,
Philip

I always Bose off my bootstrap and shoes over there and don’t mind the foot wash in Atlanta

 

[Nyati]

I never wear my hunting boots when traveling, they are enclosed in a plastic bag in the luggage, and thoroughly washed on arrival at home.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

The two trips I have done, I have washed my hunting shoes before I left and washed good when I got home. Both times I have come back thru Atlanta and no one has asked or sprayed anything? On last trip back thru in June this year no one that picked up bows or guns went thru spray. Seems like in Atlanta you never know if you will or won’t get sprayed.

 

[cagkt3]

Was in DFW not too long ago, bow hunter ahead of me in customs got his boots cleaned, and I didn't. Seems like even in the same airport they can't make up their minds.

 

[wesheltonj]

No cleaning at IAH when I can back.

Not to make light of diseases that can be brought back, but if there is something that would kill wild hogs, I would be more than happy to make a special trip, just to get it.

 

[Foxi]

It is a big topic in Europe.
Fast ASP carriers are travelers and professional drivers. The resistant viruses can stick to shoes, clothes or vehicles. Imported food is particularly risky.In Eastern-Europe several hundredthousand pigs have been killed.

 

[johnnyblues]

Interesting I have never had my boots cleaned when arriving back to JFK

 

[ThomasBeaham]

Coming from a ranching/farming background myself, there are a couple points I would like to add.

Number one,

Disease transmission isn't a one way street.

Please consider taking the same precautions with your boots/personal hunting gear before your outbound flight from your home country as well.

Number two specifically in regard to prearrival/ arrival to the USA.

CBP Traveler Entry Forms


Whether you are a visitor to the United States or a U.S. citizen arriving in the United States, you must complete one or more entry forms.

You must complete the CBP Declaration Form 6059B. CBP Declaration Form 6059B provides us with basic information about who you are and what you are bringing into the United States, such as agricultural and wildlife products and whether or not you have visited a farm prior to traveling to the United States. If you are traveling with other immediate family members, then you can complete one form for your entire family."

Personally, after having a discussion with a C&BPP officer years ago, I always answer YES on US Customs & Border Protection Form 6058B questions: 11.(d) and 12 if I am returning from an international hunting trip regardless of whether or not I was hunting a fenced property.

"11.(d) soil or have been on farm/ranch/pasture.

12. I have (we have) been in close proximity of (such as touching or handling) livestock."

I have had my boots sprayed on a number of occasions and once made to stand (in my hunting boots) in a tray filled with a sterilization solution.

It only takes a few moments and is a small price to pay for our safe food supply.

Edit:

Post Script, having had to deal with several invasive grass and weed species introduced into our rangelands in a couple of states, I would also encourage my fellow hunters to check their gear and boots for hitchhiking seed as well.

 

[ActionBob]

No cleaning at IAH when I can back.

Not to make light of diseases that can be brought back, but if there is something that would kill wild hogs, I would be more than happy to make a special trip, just to get it.

That really pisses me off. Anything that kills wild hogs will kill domestic hogs as well. Hog farmers struggle daily to prevent disease and have gone so far as to hot wash trucks to the point they have problems melting the plastic off.

Not to mention that these things often go across species and effect cattle and certainly might effect deer/elk/moose, etc. as well.

You are toying with my living and that of my partners and employees, not to mention many vendors, service people, crop farmers, truck drivers, accountants, etc. So I take this very personally.

On top of that such attitudes put the entire countries food supply at risk.

@Ryan Thank you for posting this. Way to many employees and bureaucrats at the borders (airports) do not take this anywhere near serious enough. And way to many hunters as well. It is criminal to not fill in the form correctly just get through quicker. And it is criminally negligent of Customs officials to not take this more seriously. I have had to make a scene a few times to get my boots cleaned and to point out people trying to slip through.

 

[wesheltonj]

@ActionBob, sorry to upset you. However, wild hog are causing severe damage to my property. They leave holes, where I or the cattle can step into and become injured. They dig up planted fields. They eat quail eggs. They also are known to dine on fawns, along with the coyotes. And that just on my ranch property. They have moved into my neighborhood, where they are damaging flower beds, lawns, etc. unfortunately I live inside a city limits where hunting is prohibited.