Will my Disneyland snacks be confiscated at the CA border?

[Disneylovers2000]

They stopped us at the N. Cal/Oregon boarder every time we cross.

Jack

Once again, THANK YOU Jack! This is the route we are travelling this July and I would not even had thought about this. We are coming from Canada and I do know that we are not allowed to bring any produce or meat into the USA but did not think that this applied from state to state. as it does not apply here in Canada from province to province.
Just one more thing to add to the Disney travel book under "Things To Know"!

 

[Aspoonfullofsugar]

I've been stopped on I80 every time we've crossed.

 

[DarthMole]

They stopped us at the N. Cal/Oregon boarder every time we cross.

Jack

That's special for you. We've got our eye on you mister!!!

 

[bcla]

I've been stopped on I80 every time we've crossed.

The one on US-50 at Meyers has a sign that indicates that returnees to California who have only visited the Lake Tahoe area go wide right and bypass the inspection. They don't define what it means though, and I'm sure that a lot of cars blow by it that don't even remotely qualify.

On I-80 at Truckee I've been asked, always said no, and have never been searched. I've also been waved through a few times.

 

[Rhonna]

I still remember childhood family vacations, about to cross back into California,

QUOTE]

Me too. We traveled Oregon, CA, Arizona and back every year and had a few pieces of fruit taken away at times. Mom loved to stop at the roadside stands in CA for fresh fruit and nuts but we learned to eat them up before border checks. We fly now so I forgot about that.

 

[Malcon10t]

Where are you coming from? If you are from Hawaii; it's a no-go but if you are from the continental United States; you are fine. I don't know about Mexico or Canada but I believe you may not be able to in that case.

Actually, entering California from NV, OR or AZ, you will be stopped and they glance around for produce. There is a major problem with Fruit Flies. As a farmer, please don't bring in produce from other states. We have enough of a problem keeping "Med Fly Free" for our exports.

You can buy when you hit California.

 

[cats mom]

So then I'm guessing you are crossing at the NV/CA border at 80? Unless you are driving a non-passenger vehicle, like a delivery truck or a semi or a farm truck, you will not be stopped. As you reach the inspection area, they will see you are just a family car and wave you through. They can't inspect everyone.

Most fruits are probably safe for transportation if you bought them from a grocery store. And not from a farm side stand. On the CDFA website, if it meets requirements, it's ok.

I certainly wouldn't promise that family cars will not be stopped.

We've been through checkpoints when they were waving every car through, but also when they were randomly stopping cars, and even when it appeared they were stopping every single car, albeit briefly.

I still remember childhood family vacations, about to cross back into California, and my mother frantically digging through the cooler for the fruit we had left. She'd make us eat it all up in the last few miles and would hand the inspectors a baggie with pits and cores!

FWIW, I travel back and forth from AZ several times a year and can't recall the last time my car even got stopped at the CA/AZ border.

PHXscuba

We just came through the checkpoint at Blythe on Sunday and while most cars were being waved through they were stopping some cars.

We got stopped, not a big deal, but they did ask about fresh fruits and veggies. We had apple slices & carrot sticks, but in those overpriced packages from the grocery store, so we were good to go.

 

[Susie63]

I see. In Alberta you can't bring in firewood from another province because of invasive bugs. Pesky bugs

 

[NVDisMom]

So then I'm guessing you are crossing at the NV/CA border at 80? Unless you are driving a non-passenger vehicle, like a delivery truck or a semi or a farm truck, you will not be stopped. As you reach the inspection area, they will see you are just a family car and wave you through. They can't inspect everyone.

Most fruits are probably safe for transportation if you bought them from a grocery store. And not from a farm side stand. On the CDFA website, if it meets requirements, it's ok.

If you are coming across at this point...

We live near there and go through frequently for camping trips, day trips, etc. they don't stop cars with CA or NV plates, but they do stop other states. Keep your receipt and keep the stickers that are on the produce. They keep a list of passable produce. Most wont confiscate if its on the list. YMMV... Like all things, it depends on the individual.

Or, take the scenic route through Truckee and avoid the inspection station entirely.

 

[tchrrx]

Wow! I had no idea that any states had border crossings. I learn something new every day on these boards!

 

[Aspoonfullofsugar]

Very few states have border crossings, in fact I can't think of another state that isn't a foreign border that does off the top of my head, although you do need to fill out an agriculture declaration form for Hawaii. California is a highly agrarian state and need to do its best to protect the crops from pests.

 

[californiamomof4grls]

I live in the Central Valley and even our fruit trees in our yards get traps to see what kind of bugs are in our area. It's a very big deal in CA. due to a lot of CA being hugely agricultural We have AWESOME fruit/vegtable stands on the sides of the road as you come down South. Keep an eye out for signs for what the farms offer as you come down. It will be inexpensive and SO much better then what's in the stores! But I would guess we might have tighter boarders because of our farms!

 

[RSWA2]

Keep an eye out for signs for what the farms offer as you come down. It will be inexpensive and SO much better then what's in the stores!

I second this...I've had good experience with fresh fruits along I-5 and 99 on the way to LA. But I've also had some so-so experiences...

 

[larina]

Wow! I had no idea that any states had border crossings. I learn something new every day on these boards!

See, being from California, I just thought all states had them (although I've noticed we never have to stop to leave the state), so I, too, have learned something here. LOL

 

[gunka]

Just crossed this weekend from AZ to CA on the I-10. The inspector waived us through without stopping us....what's the point...

 

[NVDisMom]

Just crossed this weekend from AZ to CA on the I-10. The inspector waived us through without stopping us....what's the point...

Many of us that have lived near these inspection stations for years have wondered the same thing. When they rebuilt the I80 station, we began to wonder if there was another purpose to these things...

 

[bcla]

Many of us that have lived near these inspection stations for years have wondered the same thing. When they rebuilt the I80 station, we began to wonder if there was another purpose to these things...

I think their biggest concern is going to be commercial produce loads. If you look at their numbers, they list about a 2.5:1 private to commercial inspection ratio. I'm pretty sure that's considerably lower than the ratio of private cars to commercial trucks.

I-80 is going to be the biggest corridor. I'm not sure what you'd get though from out of state. Maybe citrus from Arizona and potatoes from Idaho? I know that some of the tomatoes I buy are specifically labeled with an origin in Arizona.

 

[danaesacto]

Just crossed this weekend from AZ to CA on the I-10. The inspector waived us through without stopping us....what's the point...

A lot of it depends on what they are worried about, maybe at this time there is nothing in your generally area they are overly concerned with. The other point is just like everything- it is the possibility that you could be stopped that should keep you in line

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Just crossed this weekend from AZ to CA on the I-10. The inspector waived us through without stopping us....what's the point...

In our experience, if you are coming back into California and have California license plates, they usually won't stop you. People who enter California with plates from other states are more likely to be stopped and questioned about whether they're carrying any plants or produce.

 

[bcla]

In our experience, if you are coming back into California and have California license plates, they usually won't stop you. People who enter California with plates from other states are more likely to be stopped and questioned about whether they're carrying any plants or produce.

I've been stopped and asked just coming back from Reno. Maybe it's less likely, but it's not as if a California resident couldn't be carrying something harboring a nasty plant pest.