Federal agents confiscated and destroyed a plant-pathogenic fungus found on brooms made from palms and being imported from the Philippines. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists on Aug. 9 intercepted a plant-pathogenic fungus on a handicraft made of native palm parts while examining a cargo container from the Philippines. The fungus was discovered in a shipment of “native brooms” made from Cocos nucifera sp., a palm species. The discovery of an unidentified fungus and two other plant disease symptoms in the shipment prompted federal authorities to reload and seal the container until positive identification could be made. This was...