what is california agricultural inspection

California established its first agricultural inspection stations in the early 1920s. Today there are 16 of these facilities located on the major highways entering the State (see interactive map). At these stations, vehicles and commodities are checked to ensure they are pest free and meet all regulatory requirements.

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What does the California Department of Agriculture inspection services do?

California’s Border Protection Stations (BPS) are the first line of defense in our pest exclusion efforts. At these stations, vehicles are inspected for commodities infested with invasive species. California established its first agricultural inspection stations in the early 1920s. Today there are 16 of these facilities located on the major highways entering the State ( see interactive map ).

What is an agricultural inspection station?

This is a blog for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Inspection Services Division (ISD). Read here for the latest news about how ISD is providing Californians …

What is the purpose of the California Agriculture Association?

 · The California Department of Food and Agriculture operates 16 such agriculture inspection stationsthat are located along the major highways that enter the state for the stated …

Why are inspection stations in California so important?

What Is an Agricultural Inspection Station? The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement operates 23 agricultural inspection stations …

Why does California have an agriculture inspection?

For those of you that have never RVed through the agricultural portions of The Golden State, California Border Protection Stations (aka inspection stations) are checkpoints located on popular routes entering California where state inspectors check vehicles with the hopes of stopping the spread of invasive species that …

What is an agriculture inspection?

Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.

What happens at an agricultural checkpoint?

California’s Border Protection Stations (BPS) are the first line of defense in our pest exclusion efforts. At these stations, vehicles are inspected for commodities infested with invasive species. California established its first agricultural inspection stations in the early 1920s.

What are they looking for at California inspection station?

Our inspectors check vehicles and commodities for compliance with California and federal plant quarantine regulations. They also check commodities to make sure they are free from exotic invasive species that may be hitchhiking with them.

What do agricultural inspection stations do?

What Is an Agricultural Inspection Station? All agricultural inspection station booth locations are manned by law enforcement officers who inspect the plant and animal cargo on highways. Inspection officers work to stop the spread of unsafe food and diseases from spreading from one state to another.

Why does California stop you at the border?

California Border Protection Stations are 16 checkpoints placed at California’s land borders with neighboring states and maintained by the CDFA for the purpose of monitoring vehicle traffic entering the state for the presence of cargo infested with pests.

Why can you not bring fruit into California?

These threats, or exotic invasive species, can take the form of animals (wild livestock or domesticated pets), plants and plant products (fruits, vegetables, hay, firewood), insects, organisms, or microorganisms (such as disease-causing bacteria).

Can I bring lumber into California?

All plant material, including cedar wood, are subject to inspection at our Border Protection Stations and must be found free of actionable insects, diseases and other pests in order to enter the state. If any pest of quarantine significance is found, the shipment may be denied entry.

Is California an agricultural state?

California’s agricultural abundance includes more than 400 commodities. Over a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California. California’s top-10 valued commodities for the 2020 crop year are: Dairy Products, Milk — $7.47 billion.

What plants are not allowed in California?

What house plants should I NOT bring with me to California? All citrus plants are prohibited; in addition, private owners of pine, oak, fruit and nut trees are strongly discouraged from moving these into California unless all provisions of the applicable federal and state quarantines can be satisfied.

What is agricultural inspection airport?

All mainland bound passengers must have their luggage inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The purpose of the agricultural inspection is to prevent the spread of fruit flies and other hazardous plant insects and diseases.

Is there a checkpoint from California to Texas?

There are immigration checkpoints in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Eight of those checkpoints are located in the state of California. These include: San Clemente – positioned 7 miles south of San Clemente on Interstate 5.

When did California start a farm inspection?

California established its first agricultural inspection stations in the early 1920s. Today there are 16 of these facilities located on the major highways entering the State ( see interactive map ).

What is the pest prevention system in California?

A major part of this system is pest exclusion—inspecting commodities as they enter to prevent introductions.

Why do crops need to be sprayed?

When infestations that cannot be eradicated occur, crops often must be sprayed or otherwise treated to keep pests at bay so marketable goods can be grown. This equates to more chemicals in the environment and higher prices in the grocery store. In many cases invasive species permanently alter the environment, making it uninhabitable for native species or rendering land worthless or useless for recreation, grazing or other uses.

Why are invasive species a hitchhiker?

Many invasive species are adept hitchhikers, traveling along with produce, plants or vehicles as they are brought or shipped by unsuspecting individuals or companies. Because of the vast habitat and climate variations in California, these invaders often find a new home in which they can thrive—free from the natural predators that kept them in check in their home environment.

How many vehicles were inspected by the BPS?

Most years, more than 20 million private vehicles and 7 million commercial vehicles were inspected at the BPS. From these vehicles, inspectors rejected over 82,000 lots of plant material (fruits, vegetables, plants, etc.) because they were in violation of California or federal plant quarantine laws. Watercraft, self-movers, recreational vehicles …

Is California free of weeds?

Cali fornia is free from many invasive insect, weed and disease species that wreck havoc on agriculture and environments in other states and countries. This is largely because our State is surrounded by natural barriers—towering mountains to the north and east, scorching desert to the south, and vast ocean to the west.

What is the California inspection station?

California inspection station protects agriculture, angers drivers. The Agricultural Inspection Station on Interstate 15 in Yermo, Calif., is one of 16 stations from Oregon to the Mexican border, the front line in defense of California’s $43.5 billion agricultural industry.

Who decides who to inspect a vehicle?

Inspectors generally profile vehicles, license plates and contents – not the people – in deciding who to inspect.

When will California start construction of the CHP?

The entire project would be done by 2016.

Where is the new California highway patrol station?

California plans a new station just seven miles from the Nevada state line, within sight of the casinos and hotels at Primm. Called the joint port of entry, it would also house the California Highway Patrol’s commercial truck safety and weight checks.

Who is the Inspector for Las Vegans?

Inspector Derek Wilson said Las Vegans don’t understand the purpose of his job. “They see it as blocking traffic,” he said. “I see it as helping to protect California.”. Skancke said a solution to the traffic backups is near.

What is the bug station in Nevada?

That leaves some locals to wonder how the place they call “the bug station” contributes anything to Du Bose’s mission of “minimizing the spread of invasive and evasive species that could find a home here in California’s agricultural industry.”

How many agricultural inspection stations are there in California?

California operates 16 agricultural inspection stations at points of entry around the state. TRUCKEE, Calif. (News 4 & Fox 11) — If you’ve ever driven into California, you’ve slowed or maybe even stopped at the agricultural inspection station before Truckee.

How much of the time do truck inspectors perform?

Inspectors perform brief visual inspections about 70 percent of the time, verbal inspections about 20 percent of the time and physical inspections about 10 percent of the time, according to Truckee station manager Adriaan Gilis.

How much money is saved by keeping pests out of California?

One study showed that for every dollar spent keeping the pests out of California, about $14 is saved in control costs and potential economic losses.

Who said inspectors protect the public from dangers you might not be aware of?

Gilis said that occasionally his inspectors protect the public from dangers you might not be aware of.

How many inspection stations are there in Florida?

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement operates 23 agricultural inspection stations to protect Florida’s agriculture and ensure a safe food supply. There’s a station on every paved highway going into and out of the state. The stations are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

What do police officers ask when you stop at an inspection station?

When you stop at an inspection station, officers will ask to see a health certificate and negative Coggins test results for each animal. Read more.

How much does California’s agriculture contribute to the economy?

California’s agricultural economy is, in a word, ginormous, adding around $50 billion annually to the state’s economy (not including the impact of agriculture on other sectors, such as shipping and warehousing).

What is an I-15 protection station?

In all, the I-15 Protection Station is one of 16 on highways that enter California checking for plant material (fruits, vegetables, plants, etc.) in violation of state or federal plant-quarantine laws.

Where is the California tollboot?

The station, operated by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, was located in Yermo, a few miles east of Barstow (100 miles west of the state line) from 1963 till September 2018, when it was moved much closer to the border with Nevada. Even though the two-year-old checkpoint has six lanes for autos and trucks have their own inspection area, and most cars are waved through, all cars and trucks have to come to a rolling stop, if not a complete halt, at the tollbooth-like stations.

How much is California’s agriculture industry worth?

California’s agricultural industry is huge – $30 billion, which is more than twice that of any other state – so their concerns about invasive bugs and pests are well-founded. Still, it’s surprising how extensive the list of prohibited organic items is.

What is the phone number for the California Department of Food and Agriculture?

The California Department of Food and Agriculture answers questions about fruits, vegetables and plants via phone through the Pest Exclusion Branch – (916) 654-0312 or by email at [email protected] But let’s go over the basics right now.

What would happen if California didn’t have border checks?

But if it were not for these border checks we humans would quickly destroy the state’s entire agriculture industry. Considering California produces somewhere around 13% of all domestic agricultural products, we all have an interest in preserving the state’s health.

How many vehicles are stopped at the border in California?

If you are wondering whether California’s border officials are really going to bother to stop you and check for prohibited items, consider the fact that each year 20 million private vehicles are stopped and inspected, compared with only seven million commercial vehicles. For an interesting insider’s look at what goes on at a border station check out this piece in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. (Note that the terms “U-Haul” and “standard inspection” occur in the same sentence.)

What weapons are illegal in California?

Aside from guns, California has outlawed a wide and interesting variety of weapons including nunchucks, Chinese stars and (sorry) lipstick case knives. For an exhaustive rundown, check out this piece by the Shouse California Law Group. Keep in mind, while the border station guards may not be rifling through every car and U-Haul looking …

Can you bring a gun into California?

Bringing your firearm into California also involves the following (very reasonable) stipulation: Any person transporting handguns into California is required under California law to transport those handguns unloaded and in a locked container other than the glove compartment or utility compartment of a vehicle.

What is a personal firearm importer in California?

According to the California Department of Justice, “any person who moves into California with a gun is considered a ‘Personal Firearm Importer’.”. Yup, that’s your new title. And as with any title, this one comes with responsibilities.