Question: My father traveled to the Big Island for a vacation and was scheduled to fly back to Oahu on a Sunday in December. He arrived at Hilo Airport with a few potted orchids valued at $80. He was told the plants had to go through agricultural inspection but that inspection is closed on Sundays. He had to throw away his plants. The state's Web site for Hilo Airport does not mention hours of operation for plant inspections. My father plans to travel to the neighbor islands again and would like to bring back plants. How are people supposed to know that plants traveling interisland are required to be inspected and that such an inspection is not available at Hilo Airport on Sundays?

Answer: Travelers with uncertified plants are forewarned: Because of the state's budget problems, there no longer are agriculture inspectors stationed at Hilo Airport.

In fact, there have been cutbacks in ag inspections at all state maritime locations and airports, although Hilo Airport is the only one without inspectors on site.

Twenty-eight inspector positions in the state Department of Agriculture's Plant Quarantine Branch were lost through “;reduction in force.”; Add one retirement and one resignation and the result is 30 positions abolished, said spokeswoman Janelle Saneishi.

Currently, the branch has 58 inspector positions statewide, although one inspector on Maui died recently.

Saneishi said Hilo Airport is the only port that will not be staffed, because inspectors there have higher-priority duties related to the large nursery industry on that side of the Big Island, including nursery certification and inspection of outgoing plants.

“;To have an inspector stationed all day at the airport and wait for a few people, if any, who may need inspection was not the best use of our resources,”; she said. “;There are many days where no one comes for inspection at that airport.”;

When inspectors are not clearing air cargo, they are assigned to an office near Hilo Airport.

“;The department sincerely regrets the inconvenience and cost to the passenger,”; she said in response to your father's experience.

Citing “;the reduction in force and furlough situation,”; she said the Plant Quarantine Branch has had to “;reprioritize”; all its operations.

“;Because staffing at all ports will depend on inspection priorities occurring at the time, all interisland travelers who are thinking of transporting potted plants, plant cuttings for propagation and live animals are advised to check the Plant Quarantine office on that island ... for advice and instructions ahead of time,”; Saneishi said.

Contact information for each island is available at hsblinks.com/1oq.

“;The other airports are trying to cover airport inspections as much as they can, so calling ahead for appointments is advised,”; Saneishi said.

The alert about the reduced hours of inspection, as well as what plants and animals require inspections, is posted on the above-given Web site.

The Plant Quarantine Branch is focusing on activities that present the highest risk for importation of invasive species. So, the priorities are:

» Inspection of commercial and military aircraft, vessels and cargo from Guam and other high-risk areas for the brown tree snake.

» Inspection of imported foods at risk for red imported fire ants and other pests.

» Inspection of commodities intended for animal consumption, such as hay, cornmeal, cottonseed, mash, etc.

» Permitting and inspection of live nondomestic animals for pet trade, retail sales, aquaculture production, re-export, exhibition and research.

» Permitting and inspection of microorganisms, including microbial products, research and development, aquaculture production and biotechnology.

» Inspection of plants and plant parts for nursery, seed and farm production, and retail sales.

» Responding to reports of invasive species and pest investigations.

» Export certification for nursery grown products.

» Intrastate inspection and clearances of agricultural commodities, including surveillance at air and sea ports of exit.

Meanwhile, travelers with plants departing Hilo Airport are being directed to a Plant Quarantine office at 16-E Lanikaula St., 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on state holidays and furlough days. For directions, call 974-4141.

(You can check the furlough schedule at hsblinks.com/1or.)

Saneishi pointed out that interisland travelers can forgo these inspections by purchasing plants from certified nurseries, which are able to box, certify and stamp plants for interisland shipment.

A list of certified nurseries is available at hsblinks.com/1os.

Write to ”;Kokua Line”; at Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana, Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).