Drop the Papaya and No One Gets Hurt...

Q: I never know what I can and cannot back into the U.S., especially when it comes to food items. I just had to pitch some food gifts at customs. How do I find out ahead of time?    -Matthew

A.  Matthew, as a man who travels to Hawaii just for gift packs of chocolate-covered Macadamia nuts, I feel your pain.

In fact, once I had no choice but to organize a food fest between coach and business class, rather than give up my onboard larder to the Customs garbage can.  (I have a sneaking suspicion that the Customs break room resembles the food hall at Harrods.) My new in-flight friends and I landed full and smug, giving up nary a crumb of Europe's finest delicacies to the waste bins of the airport. 

Bringing home a few culinary souvenirs seems innocent enough, but U.S. Customs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture take illegal entry of foreign fruits, vegetables and animals into the U.S. quite seriously, and have raised fines to eye-watering levels. Travelers entering the United States, who do not declare agricultural products, can be fined by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) anywhere from $250 to $50,000.

So no need to feign ignorance (especially when your tax dollars have been spent so well on online education). Here are some links that spell it all out for travelers entering or returning to the U.S.:

U.S. Customs Prohibited and Restricted Items
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/prohibited_restricted.xml

Know Before You Go
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/

Department of Agriculture: Bringing Food into the U.S.
http://cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/arriving_travelers.xml

Tips on Bringing Food Items into the U.S.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/highlights/travel_news/bring_it_home.xml

While we're on it, you may wish to learn about your duty-free
exemptions levels as well.
http://cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/duty_free.xml

----------------------------------------------------------------
Tom, who no longer talks back to U.S. Customs agents, looks
forward to your comments and tips.