The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) ensures animal and plant health before they end up on the dinner table. Part of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), APHIS is responsible for administering the Animal Welfare Act and coordinating wildlife damage management. Its programs include animal care, animal and animal product import/export monitoring, biotechnology regulation, and pest and disease control and quarantine for plant protection. APHIS's protection functions have expanded in recent years to include responding to other countries' animal and plant health import requirements, as well as negotiating science-based standards that ensure US agricultural exports.