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Interim phytosanitary requirements for in-transit shipments of plants and plant products of United States origin and in-transit shipments of foreign origin refused entry by the United States

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Effective Date: January 1, 2016

This protocol is valid for an interim period while the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) completes its comprehensive in-transit program for plant health.

Background

This protocol recognizes the potential for in-transit shipments to be a pathway of introduction or spread of plant pests in Canada. Plant pests can have significant negative impacts on Canadian agriculture, forestry and environment resources, commerce that relies on those sectors, and access to export markets for Canadian plants and plant products. This interim protocol was developed to address an immediate need to provide guidance and outline the phytosanitary requirements for specific origins and transit routes. A comprehensive in-transit program for plant health is under development and will provide a more predictable, risk-based approach to safeguarding in-transit shipments from all origins, for all modes of transport and all transit routes.

Definition

In-transit means the movement from a foreign country, through Canada, to a foreign country.

Scope

The requirements within this interim protocol apply to all land transportation modes and at all U.S. - Canada border crossings.

Responsibilities

The protection of Canada's plant resources is a shared responsibility and for the purposes of this interim in-transit protocol:

Part 1: Phytosanitary requirements for in-transit shipments of U.S. origin plants and plant products to a foreign country or U.S. destination

In-transit shipments are required to be reported to the CBSA at the first point of arrival in Canada. Unless listed as prohibited (Appendix 1), U.S. origin plants and plant products are approved to move in-transit through Canada provided they meet the following requirements.

Requirements

To mitigate the possibility of spillage or pest escape, all eligible shipments of plants and plant products of U.S. origin moving in-transit must, at a minimum, be:

Determining Eligibility to Transit Canada through AIRS

The Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) is an online tool that should be referenced by the parties in care and control of the shipments, or their clients prior to compiling the shipment, to determine the eligibility of shipments of U.S. origin plants and plant products to transit Canada to a foreign country or U.S. destination.

The following information will be required to determine eligibility:

Part 2: Phytosanitary requirements for in-transit shipments, from countries other than the U.S., refused entry by the U.S. authorities

In-transit shipments, refused entry to the U.S. due to phytosanitary risks are to be removed from North America. They are not permitted to enter into Canadian commerce or to be treated in Canada for subsequent re-export to the U.S. If these in-transit shipments are to be removed through Canada, the most expeditious route must be considered. In order to expedite the removal of the shipment from North America, while protecting Canadian plant resources, these refused in-transit shipments require appropriate safeguarding to ensure the risk of pest escape is mitigated as close as possible to where the shipment is being detained and preferably prior to entry into Canada.

Requirements

Shipments may be permitted to move in-transit to a point of departure to be removed from Canada provided that:

Prior to the shipment re-entering Canada to transit to its final point of departure from Canada, the person in care and control of the refused in-transit shipment must immediately contact the local CFIA office associated with the border crossing (local CFIA office). At the first point of arrival upon re-entering Canada, the carrier must present to CBSA officials, information regarding the reason for the refused entry of the shipment into the U.S. such as the EAN issued by CBP. The shipments will be detained.

In-transit shipments that have been refused entry by the U.S. and for which the reason for the refusal has not been communicated to CFIA, are not permitted to enter Canada.

Once the reason for the refusal has been communicated, the CFIA will provide guidance to the party in care and control of the in-transit shipment on how the risk must be mitigated and if treatment is required prior to transiting and subsequent removal from Canada. In-transit shipments requiring treatment prior to departure must move directly to the treatment facility, as directed by the CFIA.

Contact Us:

For more information on the interim in-transit protocol please contact the CFIA at
cfia.plantintransit-vegetauxentransit.acia@inspection.gc.ca.

Appendix 1 (for Part 1 of the Interim In-transit Protocol)

U.S. plant products that are prohibited from moving in-transit through Canada

Please refer to AIRS for the most up-to-date information.

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