Soil in boots may bring more than rocks and roots Published Sept. 24, 2013 By Staff Sgt. Eric Summers Jr. 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- Members leaving Incirlik AB for a permanent change of station should be wary of bringing along some uninvited guests. Europe is home to many agricultural pests that are not found in the United States and naturally hide in soil. These pests can cause great damage to the U.S. farming economy. This is why cleaning anything that collects dirt before you send it stateside is important. "You can unwittingly introduce invasive pests and disease into the USA," said Scott Sanner, U.S. Department of Agriculture adviser at the U.S. European Command Customs and Border Clearance Agency. "It only takes one bit of soil on your car, lawn furniture, bicycle, field gear, shoe or boot." Vehicles and military equipment are especially prone to contamination by dirt, mud and soil, he added. The nematode is one of these threats that are found locally. "The burrowing nematode is a tiny worm not native to the United States," Sanner said. "But, it could hide in the mud on your boots. If you took that mud stateside, the nematode eggs could later hatch and attack the roots of banana or citrus trees." Losses on infested trees cost millions of dollars annually. The golden nematode attacks potatoes and tomatoes reducing yields by as much as 80 percent. "It is so important to clean everything you ship or mail home -- whether it is as a private person or as part of your work," Sanner stated. It is also why USEUCOM has a border clearance program that inspects personal property, privately owned vehicles and military shipments destined for the U.S. to prevent any pests from spreading. Call a military customs office to find out more about agricultural threats to the U.S. or visit www.eur.army.mil/opm/customs/uscustoms.htm. Editor's note: Information in this article was taken form Robert Szostek's "Nematodes threaten U.S. farmers" article.