USDA delays inspection charge on Canadian produce
Thursday, November 23rd, 2006 - 7:35 pm
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is delaying the effective date and establishing a staggered implementation for the collection of user fees for inspections of Canadian-grown fruits and vegetables, commercial vessels, trucks, railroad cars and aircraft, as well as international passengers entering the United States from Canada. The fee was originally scheduled to start November 24, 2006.
Effective Jan. 1, 2007, air passengers arriving in the United States from Canada will no longer be exempt from the $5.00 international air passenger user fee. Effective March 1, 2007, the remaining provisions of the rule will take effect, including the removal of the user fee exemption for all commercial conveyances entering the United States from Canada. (Source: USDA press release no. 0451.06)
Canada has officially, and unsuccessfully, protested the application of the fee to Canadian passengers and freight. Although USDA says the delay in implementation is to allow for more preparation by shippers, the usual reason for such delays is the inability of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to meet overly-ambitious deadlines.
