US Customs to start enforcing APHIS

WASHINGTON — Starting tomorrow, Sept.30, 2008, US Customs and Border Protection will begin to monitor transit movements of agricultural commodities going across the border.

The action is part of a Memorandum of Agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

All shipments of admissible, restricted, and prohibited plants and plant products moving as Transportation and Exportation (T&E), Immediate Export (IE), and Immediate Transfer at the time of entry (with the exception of cut flowers under the National Cut Flowers Release Program), will require a USDA-APHIS PPQ transit permit.

Agriculture loads that don’t comply with
new requirements will be denied entry by CBP

In addition, importers will be required to provide documentation to include invoices, phytosanitary certificates, shipper export declarations, outbound manifests, etc. as requested by CBP Agriculture.

It also requires annotating the APHIS permit number on the CBP 7512 (or equivalent QP style electronic transmission) in the "description and quantity of merchandise" block. Additionally, most APHIS transit permits will require the movement to be completed within 4 days, CBP explains in a notice to the industry.

Immediate Transportation (IT) shipments are not affected by this APHIS announcement and will continue to be processed in accordance with existing guidelines.

Application may be downloaded from the APHIS website and faxed to Permit Services, fax (301) 734-0572, phone (301) 734-7472 On line – Go to the APHIS website for supplemental Transit Permit information and the link to apply online via e-Permits.