Agriculture check going into CA???

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leew

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Can anyone tell me please, do you have to have an agriculture check of your RV (FW) when entering into CA?
Thanks.
 
This is the best answer I can provide. Maybe someone that travels in that area can give a more definitive answer.

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/PE/ExteriorExclusion/borders_faq.html

 
The main highways and freeways have ag inspection stations as you enter California, and all vehicles are required to stop. Typically, they ask where you just came from and if you have certain foods on board (typically fruits and plants). They'll confiscate any fruits/plants bought out of state, and send you on your way. It all takes just seconds. Depending on where we came from, they haven't always asked about fruits and plants.

I've never seen them pull over an RV to conduct a search, but they could, and I suspect some do get pulled over.

We make sure we don't have fruits or plants on board, but always be sure to answer truthfully.

Edit: The reference that kdbgoat provided gives more detail.
 
Tom said:
They'll confiscate any fruits/plants bought out of state, and send you on your way.
This is not exactly accurate. If the fruits/plants were purchased at a commercial outlet, like a grocery chain (Safeway, Albertsons, etc.), they normally don't confiscate them.  Mainly they are looking for home-grown stuff that may bring pests (insects) into the state and threaten agriculture. We drive from Oregon to California several times a year and have never had anything confiscated, although on occasion, they have asked to see what we have. The whole process is very quick and unobjectionable.
 
Punomatic said:
This is not exactly accurate. If the fruits/plants were purchased at a commercial outlet, like a grocery chain (Safeway, Albertsons, etc.), they normally don't confiscate them.  Mainly they are looking for home-grown stuff that may bring pests (insects) into the state and threaten agriculture. We drive from Oregon to California several times a year and have never had anything confiscated, although on occasion, they have asked to see what we have. The whole process is very quick and unobjectionable.

I also believe this is correct. Usually we are just waved through (as we were last week) otherwise they ask where we got the items. We tell them the store and they wave us on.
 
Thanks for the clarification. We consciously don't carry that stuff, so we've never had stuff confiscated by a CA ag inspector. OTOH we did have meat and eggs confiscated by Border Patrol when we crossed from Canada into Maine during the 'mad cow disease' scare some years ago. Chris suggested the officer take the stuff home rather than waste it, but he explained that he couldn't  ;D
 
I travel frequently from Nevada to California.

On I-15 southbound from Las Vegas, they are building a new station, should be open soon if not already. The old station is just outside Yermo, about 10 miles from Barstow. That one is frequently closed for non-commercial traffic. You just slow down and drive through.

When they do stop people, they will stop people traveling with boats from entering the state without an inspection due to the horrible quagga mussel infestation in Lake Mead and Mojave. They are also interested in any wood items, firewood, nursery trees, etc. as they look for bark beetles and other infestations.

The station on 395 south of Gardnerville is very small and I've never seen anyone stopped there.

Many of the smaller roads into California have no inspection stations. Nothing from NV into Tecopa in the south, and nothing on Hwy 266 (turns into CA 168) from Lida Junction through Fish Lake Valley, or Hwy 6 from Tonopah to 395 south of Bishop or on Hwy 359 (turns into CA167) from Hawthorne in the north to 395.
 

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