FOOD --Bringing it into and out of Canada - Page 2 - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Camping | Places, Gear and Planning > Trips and Travel Planning
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 01-12-2016, 08:53 AM   #21
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: kootenays, British Columbia
Trailer: Looking for 15b
Posts: 221
Lately they have been confiscating eggs, chicken and berries from California when you return to Canada.
It changes day by day and there are often slight changes, hard to keep up.
kootenaigirl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 09:04 AM   #22
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Alcoa, Tennessee
Trailer: 2015 5.0 TA
Posts: 419
The two questions I am always asked: Going North: Do I have any means of self protection? (It was actually phrased that way once.) Going South: Do I have any firewood?
__________________
2015 Escape 5 TA
2016 Ford F-150
captmath is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 11:06 AM   #23
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
I just happen to have the pamphlet "Bringing agriculture products to the united states from Canada" in my Escape Binder beside my desk.

I can't emphasize enough that you really have to go to the source of the info and look at it. It's really not that simple, especially if you don't know about green Allium vegetables or how to deal with bulb garlic, if it was I'd summarize it,

It's all spelled out by category; fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, seeds, firewood, meats etc. So much easier to glance at the list than to speculate and have to deal with it at the border.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 11:10 AM   #24
Senior Member
 
Vermilye's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,363
My favorite was being asked to turn in a couple of packages of fresh blueberries when heading to the Escape Appreciation Rally 2 years ago. Bought the blueberries in Washington state - they were grown in Canada.

I have crossed the border many times in both the East & West, and in a couple of cases I mentioned I had 1 of the food items they don't allow & they waved me through.
__________________
Jon Vermilye My Travel Blog
Travel and Photo Web Page ... My Collection of RV Blogs 2018 F150 3.5EB, 2017 21
Vermilye is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 11:57 AM   #25
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
I just happen to have the pamphlet "Bringing agriculture products to the united states from Canada" in my Escape Binder beside my desk.

I can't emphasize enough that you really have to go to the source of the info and look at it. It's really not that simple, especially if you don't know about green Allium vegetables or how to deal with bulb garlic, if it was I'd summarize it,

It's all spelled out by category; fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, seeds, firewood, meats etc. So much easier to glance at the list than to speculate and have to deal with it at the border.

Ron
and the pamphlet is good to have to ensure that you are following the regulations what you may have is ok in case the guard says otherwise.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 12:29 PM   #26
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
and the pamphlet is good to have to ensure that you are following the regulations what you may have is ok in case the guard says otherwise.
Yup, except the other side of that is the pamphlet is frozen in time and may not reflect the current situation. A really good guide but the best thing to do is check the websites for the respective countries. For example we had to chuck some eggs last summer even though the pamphlet still said that they're OK.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 12:51 PM   #27
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
Posts: 2,344
You could, on the other hand, have the experience we had last time we crossed:
Them: Good morning. Where are you going?
Me: "We're going to Chilliwack for the day to visit a trailer mfr."
Them, looking at the camping gear in the back of the vehicle.
"Oh, you're going to get your new Escape trailer!!! Have a great time!" Then, with a broad smile they wave us through!
dfandrews is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 02:33 PM   #28
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
I agree that authoritative sources are better than depending on anecdotal reports, but the final authority is the border agent. Answer their questions, tell them honestly what you have, and you won't have any problems with food. It anything you have is not allowed, they'll just dispose of it - the agent won't be upset about it.

To help understanding of why specific items are not allowed - and not to as a way to determine what you can carry - the general idea is to protect the destination country. If a country grows apples, the border will likely be closed to apples so that they don't bring in bugs which may damage the local apple crop. Using an earlier example, I don't think there are bananas grown in the continental U.S., so there's no risk to U.S. agriculture of bringing in bananas.

The other reasons for restrictions on any item - which can include food products - are economic. The many factors involved in rules driven by economics.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 02:50 PM   #29
Senior Member
 
Ruthe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Highland Park, New Jersey
Trailer: Escape 19 February 2014
Posts: 975
Thanks everyone. I went to the site and it looks like meat and fish is okay, but as several people pointed out, things change so I'll check it when it's appropriate. I just don't want to spend a lot of money on provisions and have to throw them out.
Ruthe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 05:57 PM   #30
Senior Member
 
float5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
We were specifically asked about meat but did not have any so don't know what they were looking for exactly.
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
float5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 06:09 PM   #31
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Using an earlier example, I don't think there are bananas grown in the continental U.S., so there's no risk to U.S. agriculture of bringing in bananas.
Ah, well that depends on where they were grown. "Labeled bananas from South or Central America are allowed."

"If there is any doubt about origin, fruit will be prohibited."

Most meats are OK except lamb and goat but watch out for those instant noodles from other countries.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 06:27 PM   #32
Site Team
 
Donna D.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,023
And yet I have friends that had a cooked sausage wrapped in aluminum foil that they forgot about and that one small piece of meat has put them on the "always check these folks out" list.


The nice thing is there are grocery stores on both sides of the border.
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
Donna D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2016, 08:50 PM   #33
Senior Member
 
bisonbill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Windham, CT, Connecticut
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21
Posts: 188
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
On the late news tonight, it's apparently illegal to import a lottery ticket into the U.S.
So Canadians crossing the border to buy PowerBall tickets can take that ticket home and they can win, but if they try to cross the border to collect the winnings, the ticket may be seized as contraband.
Just send it to me. I'll cash it so you won't have to worry about it being confiscated.
__________________
Bill and Ann-Marie

Most injuries injuries in old men occur because they think they are young men!
bisonbill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-13-2016, 12:14 AM   #34
Senior Member
 
NW Cat Owner's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Seatac, Washington
Trailer: "The Trailer", 2nd Gen 21' & a 2017 Tundra CrewMax in Blazing Blue Pearl
Posts: 2,888
Great thread!

What about cooked foods? An example was given of eggs - can't take the uncooked ones through (depending on restrictions; I understand all that). What if they were hard boiled or scrambled and then refrigerated? Has anyone had problems with that?
__________________
Laura, Dirk and Sam & Jasper (the cats)
www.UnderKittySupervision.com
2017 21' trailer, new mold, rec'd 11/25/16
NW Cat Owner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-13-2016, 12:39 AM   #35
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
As posted, several times, your best source for information is a .GOV site just prior to leaving for the border. Links have been provided in this thread.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-13-2016, 09:32 AM   #36
Senior Member
 
emers382's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Emerson, Manitoba
Trailer: 2016 Escape 5.0TA, 2022 F150 2.7EB
Posts: 1,848
Quote:
Originally Posted by NW Cat Owner View Post
Great thread!

What about cooked foods? An example was given of eggs - can't take the uncooked ones through (depending on restrictions; I understand all that). What if they were hard boiled or scrambled and then refrigerated? Has anyone had problems with that?
That would likely be OK. Last summer I camped a weekend in MN and bought and cooked and then froze leftover chicken. When asked coming home was asked about chicken and said I had cooked and frozen it, was OK. Mind you we are usually waved through no problem because we live where we cross, one time was even greeted with "welcome home."

Adrian
emers382 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-13-2016, 04:14 PM   #37
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
I think the key on cooked versus uncooked versus frozen foods is to not assume anything. If they ask if you have meat and you do, the answer is "yes"... not "no, because I don't think you mean cooked". If cooked or not makes a difference, they'll ask.

Of course most people who are interested in this are just trying to plan, so they are not inconvenienced at the border or need to waste food by carrying the wrong stuff, and at the same time don't need to re-stock everything immediately after crossing the border. For planning purposes, the government websites seem like the way to go. If they're a bit out of date or not quite clear, that can be straightened out at the border by simply answering their questions.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:33 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.