16 March 2015, Rome--- When it comes to safeguarding agricultural products, failure to monitor the spread of plant pests and diseases can have disastrous consequences on agricultural production and food security. But what is being done to minimize the risks of plant pests circulating across borders and regions in the increasingly vast context of global trade? This week in Rome, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization is hosting the annual meeting of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM). The CPM’s task is, among other things, to review and establish International Standards on measures that govern how agricultural products should be handled during trade.