Crossing US Border With Food

The protectionism around citrus is because it's a very vulnerable sector to foreign pests, and the industry constitutes a significant part of Florida and California's economy. An infestation could cause the entire sector to collapse.


For similar reasons, your trailer must be sanitized at a Gub'mint registered facility in PEI if you are to load spuds. The ecosystem is distinct enough from the mainland that it could destroy the entire economy if a foreign insect infestation took hold.

After Alberta's "mad cow" scare about a decade ago, Canadian beef came under heightened scrutiny.

I just bought all my stuff in the USA and gave up OJ completely. Never heard of eggs or vegetables even being asked about.

Once, a border agent questioned me about my cat's food (kitties come trucking too) and wanted to know if there was goat meat listed, and if they were Canadian goats. I schlepped a 50 lb bag of Whiskas up into his window and he disappeared out back with it. Turns out, it must have been 'Murican goats, if any, because they let me keep my cat food. It's too insane to be made up.

 

No apples - unless they were purchased in the U.S. and you are taking them back across the border and you have the stickers on them and the receipt. Apples imported into the U.S. are sprayed to destroy any pests/disease which we don't have that might infect the apple trees in the U.S.

Here is a link that explains it all. https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/de...-bringing-food-into-the-u.s.-for-personal-use

One word of warning - Don't try to hide it. You will be sorry.

 

I just cook up all my meals at home, package it, freeze some for later in the trip the rest is fresh. snacks can be purchased down in the US. when they ask i always say "food from home, nothing on the restricted list." their satisfied i guess when you say it that way they figure you know whats ok and what is not. their always welcome to look.

trying to be healthy i asked for a clear answer on the veg thing as i LOVE ceasear salad! the ones you can buy at the store already made just put the dressing in their fine. that goes for the fancy ones with the carrots and all the junk in them, as they have been washed, cut, made, and im not importing a head or a case of lettuce.

 

Any updates to this older thread for 2019 experiences from drivers?

 

The current exchange rate is our dollar is worth 72 cents American. That takes into account the 3% bank fee to perform it. Buying with a credit card will also mean a certain percentage to exchange from Canadian to American. That also goes for fuel, fluids and anything else you buy down there. And yes, the rapacious Canadian government will charge you tax on American tax you had to pay as well. Even if you have an American currency back account. when you put money into it or take it out, you still have to pay the exchange fee each and even time.

Some bank cards don't have a strip. Meaning if you try and pay with one down there and you have to swipe it, you're SOL. And most cashiers won't punch the numbers in manually.

Now as for taking food down with me, one time I went down not long after 911. They were still twitchy and had lots of new trainees working the border. Some would just ask every question on their list of over 100. This guy asks me if I have any weapons of mass destruction with me, I said only my corn beef sandwich, as I pointed to it on my seat next to me.

 

Food- Bring personal use food into the U.S. from Canada

 

They give you this if you cross at Eastport, Idaho.

Note* if you finish your oranges, also be sure to get rid of the peels
(I eat 2 or 3 a day)

 

We bought and did business in Canada when the CDN = .65 of our dollar. Like a 35% increase in our apparent buying ability. Turn a 15 dollar meal down to about 9 dollars American.

In our time we did some shopping in the main Winsdor Grocery a mile or two from Winsdor Customs, buying groceries and some canned goods etc with teas and foods not available in the USA to round out our supply on the truck. Never have once been looked at despite having a few hundred pounds of food and fluids in the tractor storage including some meats and produce etc.

IF we breached laws, we were unaware of it either way. It simply was not a issue.

Disclaimer our last Canada trip was 3 weeks before 9-11. What a horrible day.

If we were to go into winsdor for food shopping it should not be a issue to come back across with it in brown bags in the trunk and reciepts etc.

 

Rather than bring raw food, cook some meals before you travel. I used to love tomato sauces with extra vegetables thrown in. Soups or stews would also be a good idea.

My experience is out of date now, but I found that the US CBP was most interested in oranges and maybe some vegetables.

 

Do the border agents in Canada and USA have extra freezers in their homes; maybe a big pantry on the back porch.