USDA Delays New Inspection Fees On Canadian Agricultural Entering the USA From Canada (French)

Issue 542, December 7, 2006

New user fees and loss of exam exemptions were scheduled to be in place this week. However, the US Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA's APHIS) set back the date to allow affected industries to prepare for the changes.

The two new times:

	Effective January 1, 2007 air passengers arriving in the US from Canada will no longer be exempt from the international air passengers' user fee.
	Effect March 1, 2007 the remaining provision of the rule will take effect, including the removal of the user fee exemption for all commercial conveyances entering the US from Canada.

Background:
APHIS is removing inspection exemptions for imported fruits and vegetables grown in Canada and the user fees exemptions for commercial vessels, commercial trucks, commercial railroad cars, commercial aircraft, and international air passengers entering the United States from Canada. It will also start charging exam fees from international air passengers entering from Canada.

Moved from November 24 to March 1, 2007, 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. 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.

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 will have met all applicable CBP and APHIS user fee requirements.

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