Its roots are in trade. Under a deal with the European Union and after strict inspection against invasive species, seven countries are allowed to ship apples to the United States.
Poland wants in, but Sen. Charles Schumer is asking that those plans be halted, unless apples imported from Poland are subject to that strict screening for invasive species.
"Poland wants us to waive the inspection," the senator said. "They don't want to go through the process. They want to get in quickly."
Schumer says the U.S. Department of Agriculture is on board with his concerns, but the State Department, he says, may be a different story, and it has nothing to do with agriculture.
"We're trying to put an anti-missile defense system, which I think is good, in Poland," Schumer said. "They say they'll back off on the anti-missile defense system unless we do this."
Schumer says Poland is an ally, but argues the U.S. economy can't lose out to diplomacy.
And apple growers, under the threat of invasive pests, have the most at stake.
