US Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialists inspect flowers for foreign pests or diseases in the Avianca Cargo Warehouse at Miami International Airport on February 11, 2021 in Miami, Florida. As Valentine’s Day approaches, Miami International Airport receives 89 percent of all US flower imports by air–a total of 240,162 tons valued at $1.1 billion in 2019. In 2020, the peak season from January 1 to February 15 alone brought 1.1 billion stems through MIA. Despite the pandemic, MIA expects a similar number of imports this year.
