APHIS Factsheet

Plant Protection and Quarantine August 2012

Importing Food 

and Agricultural 

Products into the 

United States

Many agricultural pests and diseases exist worldwide 

that could be introduced into the United States through 

commodities such as meats, animals, animal products, 

fruits, vegetables, plants, soil, seeds, and plant-based 

handicrafts, among others. Because of these risks, the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) regulates the 

entry of certain foreign agricultural products into the 

United States. 

Before importing these kinds of items or obtaining 

them from an importer or broker, you’ll need to fi nd out 

what entry requirements apply to them. Learning the 

requirements can help you minimize confusion, prevent 

costly delays, and avoid penalties and merchandise loss.

General Information

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs 

and Border Protection (CBP) enforces APHIS regulations 

at ports of entry. CBP agriculture specialists inspect 

shipments of imported products and ensure that the 

required permits, sanitary certifi cates (for animal 

products), and phytosanitary certifi cates (for plant 

products) accompany each shipment. 

Sanitary and phytosanitary certifi cates are legal 

documents issued by an exporting country to certify 

that a shipment meets U.S. plant and animal health 

standards. For example, a phytosanitary certifi cate may 

confi rm that certain fumigation treatments have been 

performed or that the shipment was inspected prior to 

export and found free of pests and diseases of concern.

Importers should keep in mind that APHIS regulates 

plants and animals, as well as all products derived from 

plants and animals; for example, seeds for planting 

and seeds used in decorative craft items are both 

regulated items. To enter the United States legally, even 

commercially processed and packaged products may 

require a permit or documentation from the country of 

export, certifying that the products meet U.S. animal 

and plant health standards. Importers should also be 

aware that some products from certain countries or 

regions cannot be imported at all due to the presence 

of pests and diseases that do not occur in the United 

States.

Plants and Plant Products

To fi nd out general import requirements for certain 

plants and plant products, go to the APHIS Fruits and 

Vegetables Import Requirements (FAVIR) database 

at www.aphis.usda.gov/favir/. The FAVIR database 

allows customers to search for fruits and vegetables 

by commodity or country, providing a quick and easy 

way for users to determine basic entry requirements for 

their specifi c products. 

Simply select the type of fruit or vegetable in the 

“Approved Name” fi eld and choose the country of 

origin in the “Country/Region” fi eld. You will then 

receive one of the following results:

• “0 entries found”—this means that the fruit or 

vegetable is NOT allowed into the United States.

• “# entry(ies) found [followed by the name of the 

commodity and the name of the country].” If this 

text appears, click on “CIR” to view the commodity 

import report.

 o If the import requirements say “1 Subject 

 to Inspection...”, the fruit or vegetable is 

 allowed into the United States pending 

 inspection.

 o If the import requirements say “Condition 

 of entry treatment,” the fruit or vegetable is 

 subject to additional treatments at the port 

 of entry in order to enter the United States. 

APHIS also regulates the importation of plants and 

plant products, including plants for planting (i.e., 

nursery stock and small lots of seed); agricultural 

products (i.e., timber, cotton and cut fl owers); handicraft 

items made from plant parts (i.e., baskets); protected 

plants and plant products (i.e., orchids); and threatened 

and endangered plant species.

To import foreign fruits and vegetables, plants, seeds, 

and plant products, an importer must apply for an 

agricultural import permit from APHIS and obtain a 

phytosanitary certifi cate from the exporting country. 

Phytosanitary certifi cates verify that plant quarantine 

officials from the exporting country have examined 

the plants for pests and diseases prior to export. 
Certifi cates also identify the plants by their scientifi c 

names and confi rm that the shipment meets U.S. 

regulations for importation.

U.S. importers should obtain agricultural permits for 

shipments far in advance of their transport. To request 

an import permit, contact APHIS at:

USDA-APHIS, Plant Protection and Quarantine

Permit Unit

4700 River Road, Unit 133

Riverdale, MD 20737

Phone: (877) 770-5990 or (301) 851-2046

Email: permits@aphis.usda.gov

www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/index.shtml

Meat, Animal Products and By-Products, 

and Live Animals

APHIS regulates the importation of meat, animal 

products and by-products, and live animals in order to 

ensure that exotic animal diseases are not introduced 

into the United States. A veterinary permit may be 

required to import certain meat and meat products 

(e.g., meat pies and prepared foods), poultry, milk, 

eggs, and dairy products (except butter and cheese) 

from countries with livestock diseases exotic to the 

United States. The importation of food products 

containing even small amounts of meat, poultry, or 

processed egg product ingredients may also require 

a permit. In addition, USDA’s Food Safety and 

Inspection Service (FSIS) regulates the importation of 

meat, poultry, and egg products intended for human 

consumption. When imported into the United States, 

these products require a health certifi cate that meets 

both APHIS animal health requirements and FSIS 

public health requirements. 

Importers can check listings of eligible countries 

and products at www.fsis.usda.gov/pdf/Countries_ 

Products_Eligible_for_Export.pdf.

To determine general U.S. import requirements for 

animal products and live animals, go to the APHIS 

Veterinary Services Web site at www.aphis.usda.gov/

import_export/animals/animal_import/animal_imports.

shtml.

Importers can also contact APHIS’ National Center for 

Import and Export (NCIE) for more information:

USDA-APHIS-NCIE

4700 River Road, Unit 39

Riverdale, MD 20737

Phone: (301) 851-3300, option 5

Fax: (301) 734-8226

Email: AskNCIE.Products@aphis.usda.gov

APHIS also regulates the importation of most livestock 

species (e.g., cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, and 

poultry), as well as some non-livestock animals. USDA 

import permits may be required for these live animals. 

In addition, a health certifi cate is generally required for 

most APHIS-regulated animals that are either imported 

or transported through the United States to another 

country. An entry or post-entry quarantine may also be 

required for some species.

APHIS offices are located in most States and can offer 

additional assistance in importing live animals. For a 

list of APHIS offices and for more information about 

the types of animals regulated, permit applications, 

and other requirements, visit our Web site at www.

aphis.usda.gov/import_export/animals/animal_import/

animal_imports.shtml.

The ePermits System

APHIS also offers the ePermits system, a Webbased tool that allows importers to apply for a permit, 

check its status, and view it on the Internet. The 

system minimizes the time it takes to complete permit 

applications, process data, and issue permits. To 

fi nd out how to apply for a permit online, please visit 

www.aphis.usda.gov/permits/learn_epermits.shtml. 

To register for the ePermits system, go to www.aphis.

usda.gov/permits/eauth_epermits.shtml.

(Note to Importers: Certain imports may also 

require a State permit or other documents from local 

agriculture, fi sh and wildlife, or environmental agencies. 

Additionally, State agencies may have supplemental 

permit requirements.)

Agricultural Smuggling and Trade Compliance

Each year, the volume of smuggled and improperly 

imported agricultural products entering the United 

States grows. In response, APHIS works to identify the 

unlawful entry and distribution of prohibited agricultural 

products. These products may harbor harmful exotic 

plant and animal pests, diseases, or invasive species 

that could seriously damage America’s crops, livestock, 

and environment.

APHIS officers canvas local markets and grocery 

stores around the country and monitor Internet 

commerce to seek prohibited agricultural commodities. 

If they fi nd an illegally imported product or regulatory 

violation, APHIS may seize the item and pursue civil 

and criminal penalties, if warranted. 

Therefore, it is important for distributors and market 

owners to purchase products that have been imported 

through legal channels. Likewise, it is important to 

verify and maintain shipping documents and invoices 
associated with agricultural commodities. If vendors 

are not aware that they are selling prohibited items, the 

APHIS official onsite will explain Federal regulations and 

begin an importation trace to fi nd the illegal pathway.

Market owners should report suspected agricultural 

smuggling to APHIS. For more information about APHIS’ 

efforts to prevent the entry or distribution of prohibited 

agricultural products, please call (800) 877-3835 or go to 

www.aphis.usda.gov/international_safeguarding.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture