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It was more common in southern states. Most of it began as the boweevil eradication program for cotton producing states. But other concerns were there as well. A lot of diseased plants or plants that were not native to a certain area were being brought in even from foreign nations and could destroy a local economy. The losses in some cases was staggering.

In my area 100 years ago stood some of the tallest and biggest diameter trees east of the Mississippi river. A blight carried by the blight resistant imported Chinese Chestnut brought about their demise. A staggering loss. Some still exist but still usually die about the time they start producing nuts and the bark changes allowing the blight to enter.

I was born in 1957 and I remember as a kid seeing the huge logs still laying on the ground and the outline of it's stump. They in rare cases could get up to 12 ft diameter but averaged about 9 feet.

More modern ways of dealing with spreads of plant diseases lessened the need for Port of Entry for the states. California checked all trucks because of the huge agriculture industry. Most trucks going into Cali are reefers even though the haul into the state may be dry goods. The only way to get a paying load out when I was driving was to have a reefer unit on your trailer.