Neighborhood watch: early detection and rapid response to biological invasion along US trade pathways

Cheaper and more efficient shipping and communications technologies and growing consumer demand have led a surge in global trade in the past half-century. During the past 50 years the growth in air travel passenger numbers increased approximately 9% per annum. Since 1993, shipping traffic has increased by 27%. In addition, agricultural exports have increased in value from US $ 568 billion in 1998 to US $ 1.128 trillion in 2007, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO 2008).