Which agency has the mission to safeguard the health, welfare, and value of American agriculture and natural resources?

• A. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• B. Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
• C. Food and Drug Administration
• D. United States Department of Agriculture

Answer: (B)

APHIS, the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, is the agency dedicated to protecting animal and plant health and safeguarding natural resources that underpin American agriculture. Its work covers preventing, detecting, and responding to animal diseases and plant pests, protecting agricultural crops, and managing wildlife-related issues that could harm ecosystems or farm productivity. This mission directly matches the idea of safeguarding the health, welfare, and value of American agriculture and natural resources, because it focuses on the health of the plants and animals that feed into the agricultural system and the ecosystems that support it.

In contrast, other agencies have different primary focuses—one oversees human disease control, another focuses on consumer safety of food and drugs, and the department as a whole includes broader programs not limited to protecting agriculture and natural resources. APHIS sits within USDA but is the specific unit charged with this particular safeguarding role.