USDA Imposing Inspection Fees On Agricultural Products Entering The USA From Canada

Issue 535, November 3, 2006

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) is amending the foreign quarantine and user fee regulations by removing the exemptions from inspection for imported fruits and vegetables grown in Canada and the exemptions from user fees for commercial vessels, commercial trucks, commercial railroad cars, commercial aircraft, and international air passengers entering the United States from Canada.

As a result of this action, all agricultural products imported from Canada will be subject to inspection, and commercial conveyances, as well as airline passengers arriving on flights from Canada, will be subject to inspection and user fees.

Effective November 24, 2006, the new "per crossing" fee for trucks without user fee decals arriving from Canada will be $10.25 ($5.00 for CBP and $5.25 for APHIS). The APHIS fee for vessels entering from Canada will be $490. Truck carriers should encourage their drivers to have the exact amount whenever possible. This fee must be paid in U.S. currency. CBP will accept most major credit cards as well as U.S. debit cards at primary for collection of fees.

Additionally, CBP has developed a procedure to lessen the impact of collecting the APHIS user fee for trucks arriving from Canada. Current annual fee purchasers with a valid transponder will be billed directly by the Office of Finance for each crossing for the period November 24- December 31, 2006. Local ports will not collect APHIS user fees for trucks arriving from Canada in possession of a valid user fee transponder.

Effective January 1, 2007, the annual user fee for trucks arriving from Canada will be $205 ($100 for CBP and $105 for APHIS). All trucks possessing a valid user fee transponder as of January 1, 2007, will have met all applicable CBP and APHIS user fee requirements.

APHIS states they are taking this action in part because they are not recovering the costs of their current inspection activities at the U.S./Canada border. In addition, APHIS's data show an increasing number of interceptions on the U.S./Canada border of prohibited material that originated in regions other than Canada that presents a high risk of introducing plant pests or animal diseases into the United States.

For additional information, or for any questions, contact should be made to your local CBP or APHIS port office.